[The challenge of maternity in Spain: social and health difficulties].
OBJECTIVE
The present article reviews the recent literature on various issues related to maternity services and fertility in Spain and elsewhere.


METHODS
Information obtained from several official sources, technical reports, and the scientific literature produced in the last 5 years were used.


RESULTS
Maternity is assigned insufficient importance due to cultural changes, women's difficulties in the labor market, inadequate public policies to support families, and deficiencies in the quality of pre- and postdelivery maternity care.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased fertility rates may transform the organization of productive and reproductive work and the development of health and social services, and may stimulate improvement in institutional support.
Maroto-Navarro
Gracia
G
Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, Red de Investigación de Salud y Género, Granada, España. gracia@easp.es
del Mar García-Calvente
María
M
Mateo-Rodríguez
Inmaculada
I
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001723:Birth Rate / Q000639:trends; D003267:Contraception / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000639:trends; D018743:Perinatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D012944:Social Support; D013030:Spain; D014931:Women, Working / Q000706:statistics & numerical data