[The experience of the Mexican maternal health care program Arranque Parejo en la Vida]

To evaluate the implementation of its participative strategies and the creation of support networks for poor pregnant women.

A qualitative and comparative evaluation was carried on in four states.

Coordination and community participation were relevant in relation with major resources allocation and availability, particularly housing and transportation. Governmental actors involvement and leadership favoured linking and coordination. Pregnant women used to valuate as the major support source the one provided by their kinship networks.

To strengthen and to stimulate participative strategies is fundamental in zones with high maternal mortality rates. The wide appreciation of kinship networks, midwives and voluntaries' support to pregnant women in housing and transportation, suggests that these actors are a functional component of the support network; it is insufficient focusing the support network on health services and municipal authorities.