WHO recommendations on Postnatal care of the mother and newborn

Overview

The guidelines focus on postnatal care of mothers and newborns in resource-limited settings in low- and middle-income countries. The critical maternal health outcome considered was maternal morbidity (including haemorrhage, infections, anaemia and depression).

The two critical neonatal outcomes were neonatal mortality and morbidity. Other important outcomes included growth, cognitive development and breastfeeding status. The guidelines address timing, number and place of postnatal contacts, and content of postnatal care for all mothers and babies during the six weeks after birth. The guidelines include assessment of mothers and newborns to detect problems or complications, but the management of these conditions is addressed in other WHO documents (e.g. management of a mother with postpartum haemorrhage – PPH – or infection, care of a preterm or low-birth-weight newborn or a newborn with infection).