Antenatal and delivery practices and neonatal mortality amongst women with institutional and non-institutional deliveries in rural Zimbabwe: observational data from a cluster randomized trial

Despite achieving relatively high rates of antenatal care, institutional delivery, and HIV antiretroviral therapy for women during pregnancy, neonatal mortality has remained stubbornly high in Zimbabwe. Clearer understanding of causal pathways is required to inform effective interventions. This study was a secondary analysis of data from the Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) trial, a cluster-randomized community-based trial among pregnant women and their infants, to examine care during institutional and non-institutional deliveries in rural Zimbabwe and associated birth outcomes. Among 4423 pregnant women, 529 (11.9%) delivered outside a health institution; hygiene practices were poorer and interventions to minimise neonatal hypothermia less commonly utilised for these deliveries compared to institutional deliveries. Among 3441 infants born in institutions, 592 (17.2%) were preterm (