European Strategic Approach For Making Pregnancy Safer

WHO goal of the strategic approach is to increase awareness, commitment and action towards improving maternal and perinatal health in the region. This document will provide broad guidance to countries wishing to develop or update their own national and local strategies for the improvement of the health of mothers and babies.

This document aims to help policy-makers ensure safe pregnancy and childbirth through equitable and efficient provision of, access to, and use of, quality skilled care for all women and their newborn babies, with special attention to poor and vulnerable groups. The strategic approach depends on a functioning health system and requires a multi-sectoral approach, because of the complex set of interactions between many factors that influence maternal and perinatal health outcomes.

This document is intended for a broad audience of policy-makers within government, international agencies, professional associations, non-governmental organizations and other institutions. It is work in progress and will be updated as and when new evidence becomes available or best practices are identified.