Neonatal resuscitation from a global perspective

Area of Science:

• Perinatal and neonatal health
• Global health equity
• Healthcare access and quality

Background:

• Perinatal and neonatal mortality disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries.
• Access to and quality of care during delivery significantly impact newborn survival.
• Despite improvements, basic neonatal resuscitation and high-quality care remain inaccessible in many regions, contributing to high mortality rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review challenges in achieving universal access to optimal resuscitation care at birth.
• To provide an update on current initiatives addressing these challenges.
• To highlight the need for quality improvement in perinatal healthcare, especially in resource-limited settings.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of current data on perinatal and neonatal mortality.
• Analysis of factors affecting access to and quality of neonatal resuscitation care.
• Examination of ongoing efforts and research in quality improvement and implementation science.

Main Results:

• Significant disparities in perinatal and neonatal mortality persist, linked to resource limitations.
• Inconsistent availability of basic neonatal resuscitation and high-quality care at birth remains a critical issue.
• Both low-resource countries and disadvantaged communities within high-income countries face inadequate perinatal healthcare access.

Conclusions:

• Urgent focus on quality improvement, implementation research, and innovation is needed to enhance perinatal healthcare.
• Addressing the gap in optimal resuscitation care at birth is essential for reducing perinatal and neonatal mortality.
• Global efforts must prioritize equitable access to quality perinatal healthcare for all newborns.