Title: Assessing the Impact of Healthcare Expansion and Maternal Education on Maternal and Child Health (MCH)

Aims: This study aims to show how healthcare expansion, maternal education, and community health worker (CHW) programs affect maternal and child health outcomes (MCH) within the United States and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It compares healthcare systems across both regions, evaluates the effects of maternal education on MCH outcomes, and examines how CHWs reduce economic burdens and improve healthcare access.

Methods: A systematic literature review design was used, combining open-access, peer-reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2025. The searches were conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar, focusing on articles on maternal education, CHW-led interventions, and healthcare expansion. Studies were evaluated through the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools.

Results: The findings showed the U.S. Medicaid expansion through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) reduced maternal mortality by 1.6 deaths per 100,000 live births, though there showed racial inequities persisting. In SSA, CHW interventions increased the deliveries within institutions by up to 27% and antenatal care attendance (ANC) by 18%. Maternal education is associated with a 7% reduction in child mortality per additional year of schooling beyond middle school and a 25% reduction in malnutrition risk.

Conclusion: Integrating financial expansion, maternal education, and community-based interventions enables equitable, sustainable improvements in MCH outcomes. Policy recommendations involve the uptake of formal CHW programs, addressing structural inequities in cross-sector collaborations, and linking education incentives to healthcare access.

Chair: Dr. Ike Okosun