title: The interconnections between maternal and newborn health--evidence and implications for policy.
abstract: The past decade has witnessed increasing global attention and political support for maternal, newborn and child health. Despite this increased attention, actual progress has been slow and sporadic: coverage of key maternal and newborn health interventions remains low and there are wide disparities in access to care, within and across countries. Strategies for improving maternal and newborn health are closely linked, and can be delivered most effectively through a continuum of care approach. While these interventions are largely known, there is little information on which interventions have a positive health impact for both women and newborns. This supplement identifies the interventions during the preconception, pregnancy, intrapartum and postnatal periods found to have a positive, synergistic effect on maternal and neonatal outcomes. These interventions are then grouped into packages of care for delivery at the community, health center or hospital levels.
authors.affiliation: Division of Women and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Zohra S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Lassi
authors.forename: Amara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Majeed
authors.forename: Shafia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.forename: Mohammad Yawar
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Yakoob
authors.forename: Zulfiqar A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Bhutta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D003376:Counseling; D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000639:trends; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends; D007229:Infant Welfare / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000639:trends; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000639:trends; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000639:trends; D010154:Pakistan; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D014944:World Health Organization