HaSET – Maternal and Child Health Research Program

Research for
Healthy Mothers,
Healthy Children,
Healthy Babies

Research for Healthy Mothers, Babies & Children

Around the world, 6 million children die before their 5th birthday each year. Forty percent of these deaths occur in the neonatal period the first 28 days of life, mainly from infections, preterm birth complications, and intrapartum related complications. In Ethiopia, 14,000 mothers die from complications during pregnancy, childbirth, or the post-partum period each year. Only 43% of women receive 4 or more antenatal care visits, 48% deliver in a health facility, and 43% receive postnatal care within 48 hours of delivery.

HaSET is focused on understanding the causes of morbidity and mortality and using this knowledge to develop interventions to improve health. Data on the incidence and causes of morbidity and mortality among pregnant women and children are largely unknown in settings like Ethiopia. Priority-setting for policies, programs and research to prevent diseases requires current and accurate health data. Reliable estimates on childhood and pregnancy related morbidity and mortality are essential for development of appropriate health policies. Such data are also needed for the implementation of health interventions to prevent maternal and child deaths and morbidities that occur worldwide each year.

We are committed to improving maternal and child health

in under-served populations by using epidemiologic methods

We train postdoctoral researchers, doctoral and masters students. In partnership with our colleagues in Ethiopia, we are developing the first pre-doctoral and post-doctoral MCH research fellowship in Ethiopia and will provide financial support and scientific mentoring.