Maternal and child health programs

A national survey of Canadian women’s experiences, perceptions, knowledge and practices before conception and during pregnancy, birth and the early months of parenthood. A project of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System, which monitors and reports on determinants and outcomes of maternal, fetal and infant health in Canada. 

Aims to establish a common vision and approach, as well as to identify the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) Making Pregnancy Safer initiative. Discusses working with women, men, families and communities to improve maternal and newborn health.

Highlights the multifaceted importance of and interdisciplinary support for international family planning. Serve as a call to action for expanded discourse, broad partnerships and consensus building, and increased funding to accelerate progress toward meeting the targets of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 (maternal health), as well as the other MDGs.

From the introduction:

“Over half a million women die each year due to complications during pregnancy and birth. The vast majority of these deaths are preventable. At the Millennium Summit in 2000, States resolved to reduce maternal mortality by three quarters by the year 2015. This commitment is encapsulated in the Millennium Development Goals, which derive from the Millennium Summit commitments, and which have come to play a defining role in international development efforts. Goal 5 is a commitment to improve maternal health: the reduction of maternal mortality is an outcome chosen to assess progress in this regard. This resolve by States to reduce maternal mortality is not new. However, never before has the issue been given such prominence on the international development agenda.”

Focuses on developing outcomes and outcome indicators to be measured, and provides templates. Companion document to "Guidelines for Development of a Multidisciplinary Collaborative Primary Maternity Care Model."

Outlines key variables for evaluating the cost implications of a new model of primary maternity care. Companion to "Guidelines for Development of a Multidisciplinary Collaborative Primary Maternity Care Model."

Proposes a maternity care model that draws on the strength of each health care professional, and developed to facilitate the establishment of multidisciplinary collaborative maternity care teams.

Describes 7 knowledge transfer modules, companion documents to the "Guidelines to Model Development." Provides a tool to identify gaps in care available within the current system of maternity care provision.

Provides guidelines for conducting environmental scans and needs assessments. Companion document to "Guidelines for Development of a Multidisciplinary Collaborative Primary Maternity Care Model."

Identifies the foundational elements of a collaborative model. Companion document to "Guidelines for Development of a Multidisciplinary Collaborative Primary Maternity Care Model."