Beyond survival: Integrated delivery care practices for long-term maternal and infant nutrition, health and development. 2nd Edition

Abstract

(Extracted from the Introduction) It is now well recognized that delivery and the immediate postpartum period is a vulnerable time for both the mother and infant. During the first 24 hours after delivery it is estimated that 25% to 45% of neonatal deaths and 45% of maternal deaths occur (1, 2). Thus delivery and postpartum care practices that attend to the most serious and immediate risks for the mother (e.g., postpartum hemorrhage and postpartum infections) and neonate (e.g., asphyxia, low birth weight, prematurity, and severe infections) are the most common conditions addressed by public health interventions.