The effect of nighttime or weekend births on perinatal outcomes in Africa, 2025: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Differences in staffing, clinical supervision, emergency preparedness, and the organization of services outside normal working hours may be related to variations in perinatal outcomes for off-hours and weekend deliveries. Evidence from Africa is sparse and conflicting, with some studies reporting increased neonatal morbidity or mortality for births occurring at nighttime/off-hours or weekends while others have reported no significant differences. Hence, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the association between nighttime/off-hours or weekend births and adverse perinatal outcomes in African health facilities.