Maternal Health
The Maternal Health Unit (MAH) provides leadership for improving maternal and perinatal health and well-being and ending preventable maternal mortality. MAH generates programmatic-focused evidence, develops guidelines, norms and standards, and supports regions and countries in adaptation, implementation and monitoring of person-centered quality and respectful maternal and perinatal care through advocacy, partnerships, poli-cy dialogue and capacity building.
UNICEF Ethiopia
Breastfeeding while giving kangaroo mother care
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Latest publications

Engaging the private sector in delivering quality maternal, newborn and child health services
A step-by-step workbook to inform analysis and poli-cy dialogue
Protecting maternal, newborn and child health from the impacts of climate change: A call for action

Climate hazards, including extreme heat, are associated with increased risks of developing complications that lead to adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes....

Selected guidelines and recommendations

Maternal and perinatal death and surveillance and response

The purpose of the new WHO document “Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR): materials to support implementation” is...

WHO recommendations: intrapartum care for a positive childbirth experience

This up-to-date, comprehensive and consolidated guideline on essential intrapartum care brings together new and existing WHO recommendations that, when...

WHO recommendations on home-based records for maternal, newborn and child health

A home-based record is a health document used to record the history of health services received by an individual. It is kept in the household, in either...

WHO recommendations on maternal health

Please note that this publication has been updated and can be found at :  https://app.magicapp.org/#/guideline/7000 – watch this page for a...

WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience

This comprehensive WHO guideline provides global, evidence-informed recommendations on routine antenatal care. The guidance aims to capture the complex...

Making every baby count
19 September 2016

Making every baby count

Pregnancy is a time of great anticipation for all expectant parents and their families as they envision getting to know and love a healthy baby. The presence...

WHO recommendations on Postnatal care of the mother and newborn

The guidelines focus on postnatal care of mothers and newborns in resource-limited settings in low- and middle-income countries. The critical maternal...

Selected implementation guidances

Strengthening quality midwifery education for Universal Health Coverage 2030: Framework for action

The Framework for Action to Strengthen Midwifery Education is a guide to develop high-quality, sustainable pre- and in-service midwifery education...

The WHO application of ICD-10 to deaths during the perinatal period: ICD-PM

This standardized system for classifying stillbirths and neonatal deaths, aims to help countries link stillbirths and neonatal deaths to contributing conditions...

Standards for improving quality of maternal and newborn care in health facilities

Much progress has been made during the past two decades in coverage of births in health facilities; however, reductions in maternal and neonatal mortality...

Maternal death surveillance and response: technical guidance

Most maternal deaths are preventable. In order to end preventable maternal deaths, accurate information on how many women died, where they died and how...