Integrating Perinatal and Infant Care

It has been well established that evidence-informed health and social care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the early years play a significant role in lowering maternal and infant mortality, improving the health and well-being of women, and promoting long-term physical, psychological, and social well-being for the child. Despite decades of research into biomedical, psychological, health education, and organizational and policy interventions, there remains substantial evidence that those efforts are not achieving their full potential in either resource-poor or wealthy healthcare settings. While some of the challenges are related to the equitable distribution of resources, many of the other difficulties relate to organizational and system issues. The important role played by individuals, families, and communities is acknowledged but often not fully elaborated. Similarly, the importance of the mental health and social protection of women, infants, and their families is frequently overlooked. It is here that integrated perinatal and infant health and social care can make a significant impact on mortality, long-term chronic disease, and the psychosocial and mental health and well-being of children, adults, families, and communities more generally.