Midwife uses a digital foetal heart rate monitor during an antenatal check-up.
Prioritizing quality of care in maternal health
Quality care in health means services which are safe, effective, timely, efficient, equitable and people-centred, and deliver the health outcomes communities want.
Human resource shortages are a challenge to universal access to quality care. WHO’s work on task shifting optimizes health worker roles for maternal and newborn health, to safely expand access to key interventions. WHO also supports midwifery and nursing within a team of professionals to improve maternal and newborn survival and well-being.
Women in remote areas with less economic means are the least likely to receive adequate health care. WHO has defined criteria for skilled birth personnel, with guidance for countries in which the coverage of skilled attendance at birth is below 85%.
Maternal health services that meet agreed definitions of quality are also a foundation of universal health coverage. WHO’s guidelines on digital health interventions emphasize the importance of reaching and safely supporting vulnerable populations, while offering new opportunities to improve health.
