The World Health Organization Collaborating Center in Reproductive Health (WHO/CC/RH) has recognized that no single vertical strategy, such as the vaccine for polio, exists to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. WHO/CC/RH has found that improvement in the outcomes of pregnancy in a given geopolitical region requires a comprehensive systems solution – the organization and implementation of a comprehensive and compassionate regional maternal, and perinatal health care delivery system using a regionally developed set of guidelines for perinatal care that incorporates a group of essential strategies, including:
1) A comprehensive assessment of the status of reproductive health and perinatal care of a specific geopolitical area requesting assistance;
2) Primary health care for non-pregnant women, including preconception care, interconception care, and comprehensive public education program in reproductive awareness;
3) An internationally accepted perinatal surveillance system that records outcomes of all pregnancies and incorporates a continuous quality improvement program;
4) Comprehensive and coordinated perinatal health care services using three levels of ambulatory and hospital care for all pregnant women that involves continuing assessment throughout pregnancy and, when necessary, referral and transfer of the woman or her infant to the level of care appropriate to their assessed needs. The three levels of care are: Level I (primary), Level II (secondary), and Level III that specifically includes a regional perinatal center to provide high risk care for mothers or infants using international evidence-based care and practices for perinatal care;
5) A postgraduate education program for all perinatal health professionals working in the designated geopolitical health area;
6) A distance learning system to maintain a link to international advances in maternal and perinatal care;
7) International public health standards and management practices;
8) International bioethics guidelines for clinical practice and research using human subjects; and
9) Public policy and health care law that support optimum reproductive health and improved outcomes of pregnancy.
