Recently, the Egyptian Ministry of Health, working with Saving Newborn Lives and Tufts University, began a pilot program to improve pregnancy outcomes. The project was initiated to decrease the number of low birth weight babies (<2.5kg) as these infants are at increased risk of death and serious developmental delay.
A Positive Deviance Inquiry (PDI) was utilized to discover the uncommon, yet successful strategies that enable poorer women, (who often have inadequate nutrition, rest, and/ or medical care), to have healthy babies. The program began by identifying women who, despite their low socio-economic status, had healthy pregnancies (Positive Deviants). By comparing the prenatal care practices of these positive deviants to the usual cultural practices surrounding pregnancy, factors that contribute to healthy pregnancies were identified. The Inquiry revealed that frequency of ante natal care visits, increased rest, and absence of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) symptoms were all associated with improved pregnancy outcomes. In poorer areas, use of tap water, latrines, and consumption of meat and vegetables also contributed to successful outcomes: eating less during pregnancy (eating down) and high exposure to second hand smoke were found to have negative impacts.
These results were used to help design an intervention that included counseling pregnant women and their mother-in laws on the issues that, through the PD inquiry process, were found to be important in their community.
Improving Pregnancy Outcomes Through Positive Deviance in Egypt contains further information on this pilot project, including; the overall goals, Positive Deviance Inquiry results, and cost-effectiveness data.
Read the most recent update on improving pregnancy outcomes in Egypt.
January 2005 update on improving pregnancy outcomes in Egypt.