Integrating international policy standards in the implementation of postnatal care: a rapid review

International legal and political documents can assist policy-makers and programme managers in countries to create an enabling environment to promote maternal and newborn health. This review aimed to map and summarise international legal and political documents relevant to the implementation of the WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience.

Rapid review of relevant international legal and political documents, including legal and political commitments (declarations, resolutions and treaties) and interpretations (general comments, recommendations from United Nations human rights treaty bodies, joint United Nations statements). Documents were mapped to the domains presented in the WHO postnatal care (PNC) recommendations; relating to maternal care, newborn care, and health systems and health promotion interventions, and by type of human right implied and/or stated in the documents.

Twenty-nine documents describing international legal and political commitments and interpretations were mapped, out of 45 documents captured. These 29 documents, published or entered into force between 1944 and 2020, contained content relevant to most of the domains of the PNC recommendations, most prominently the domains of breastfeeding and health systems interventions and service delivery arrangements. The most frequently mapped human rights were the right to health and the right to social security.

Existing international legal and political documents can inform and encourage policy and programme development at the country level, to create an enabling environment during the postnatal period and thereby support the provision and uptake of PNC and improve health outcomes for women, newborns, children and families. Governments and civil society organisations should be aware of these documents to support efforts to protect and promote maternal and newborn health.