PAHO/WHO
Indigenous community, Guatemala
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Strengthening health systems and communities

WHO is committed to ensuring universal health coverage for reproductive, maternal, and newborn health care. This requires improvements in health systems for women and newborns. 

Policy dialogues with key stakeholders, assessing and improving quality of care, implementing maternal and perinatal death surveillance, and investment in midwifery education are some of the ways that WHO supports countries to strengthen their health system. 

In monitoring progress, WHO recognises that efforts to grow strong health systems must also respond to external forces including climate change, migration and humanitarian crises. These factors contribute to health complications and must be considered when political commitments and financial investments are made to improve maternal health.

Strengthening women’s and community engagement in maternal health promotes a positive experience for all involved. This further strengthens a country’s health system and improves access to high quality, respectful maternal health care for every woman. 

670,000 neonatal

and 86,000 maternal

lives could be saved in low- and middle-income countries in 2020 alone with adequate quality of care

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Publications

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WHO recommendations on the management of sickle-cell disease during pregnancy, childbirth and the interpregnancy period

Sickle-cell disease (SCD) is a group of autosomal recessive haemoglobin disorders that results from a gene mutation in the β-subunit of haemoglobin....

Implementation guidance on transitioning to midwifery models of care

Enjoying the highest attainable standards of health is a fundamental human right. Despite progress in recent decades, maternal and neonatal mortality,...

Toolkit for adaptation of the WHO recommendations for a positive pregnancy and postnatal experience

The aim of the toolkit is to facilitate development of country-specific packages of antenatal and postnatal care that are in accordance with WHO evidence-based...

Trends in maternal mortality 2000 to 2023: estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group and UNDESA/Population Division

Every day in 2023, over 700 women died from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth - meaning that approximately one woman is dying every...

Roadmap for research on maternal and perinatal health in the context of epidemic threats

This Roadmap represents a significant milestone in the global pursuit of enhanced maternal and perinatal health during epidemics and pandemics. It describes collaborative...

Strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks for maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response

The Manual aims to serve as an essential tool to guide the development of legal or regulatory Maternal and Perinatal Death and Surveillance and Response...

A step-by-step guide to South-South learning exchanges

This guide focuses on interactive learning exchanges with stakeholder teams exchanging knowledge and experience to help one or both of the teams work towards...

Sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health: report on the 2023 policy survey

Evidence- and rights-based national policies, guidelines and legislation play a key role in improving sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and...

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