Strengthening family planning and antenatal care
Overview
Family planning allows people to attain their desired number of children and determine the spacing of pregnancies. It is achieved through use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of infertility. During pregnancy, both the woman and her developing child face various health risks. For this reason, it is important that antenatal care be provided by skilled care providers.
WHO Western Pacific Regional Office supports Member States to ensure high quality, effective and respectful care for women through pregnancy to childbirth and postnatal. This includes updating national policy, strategy and clinical protocols in line with the latest evidence-based WHO guidelines and recommendations, and then implementing them at each health facility; strengthening maternal death surveillance and response; and strengthening health systems and collaboration with other health programmes to achieve universal coverage of quality maternal care.
WHO also helps Member States address the nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating women, as well as eliminating unintended pregnancies. The Regional Office has been working on introducing, testing and finalizing the Primary Health Care Quality Improvement Guide. The Guide includes modules on family planning and antenatal care.
Key facts
Skilled care before, during and after childbirth can save the lives of women and newborn babies.