The scale, scope, coverage, and capability of childbirth care

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Global Health
• Maternal Health

Background:

• Access to high-quality maternity services is a global concern.
• Significant disparities exist in maternal healthcare availability and utilization, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
• Understanding the current state of maternal health services is essential for effective policy and planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide data for policymakers and planners to evaluate maternal health service functionality in low- and middle-income countries.
• To describe configurations of intrapartum care systems, focusing on delivery locations and providers.
• To highlight the need for assessing facility capabilities, provider skills, and supportive infrastructure like maternity waiting homes and transport.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data on maternal health service configurations.
• Description of where and with whom deliveries take place.
• Emphasis on assessing routine care provision, not solely emergency care, within diverse geographic contexts.

Main Results:

• Paucity of information exists on maternity waiting homes and transport systems.
• The capability of facilities and skills of providers are critical but often unassessed factors.
• Geographic context significantly influences the importance and implementation of maternal care strategies.

Conclusions:

• No single model of maternal care fits all contexts; adaptation is necessary.
• Minimizing over-intervention while addressing the evolving disease burden is essential.
• Systematic measurement and tackling of coverage and configuration challenges are key to implementing high-quality, respectful maternal healthcare for all women and newborns.