Bibliographic Info
GuidelineWHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience
Year of Publication2016
Issuing InstitutionWHO
Recommendation
Status
Updated
Recommended
Task shifting the promotion of health-related behaviours for maternal and newborn health to a broad range of cadres, including lay health workers, auxiliary nurses, nurses, midwives and doctors is recommended
Notes and Remarks
- 1.This recommendations has been adapted and integrated from Optimizing health worker roles to improve access to key maternal and newborn health interventions through task shifting (OptimizeMNH) (2012)
- 2.The GDG noted that, while task shifting has an important role to play in allowing flexibility in health-care delivery in low-resource settings, policy-makers need to work towards midwife-led care for all women.
- 3.Lay health workers need to be recognized and integrated into the system, and not be working alone, i.e. task shifting needs to occur within a team approach.
- 4.The mandate of all health workers involved in task shifting programmes needs to be clear.
- 5.In a separate guideline on HIV testing services, WHO recommends that lay providers who are trained and supervised can independently conduct safe and effective HIV testing using rapid tests
- 6.The GDG noted that it may be feasible to task shift antenatal ultrasound to midwives with the appropriate training, staffing, mentoring and referral systems in place.
- 7.Further research is needed on the mechanism of effect of MLCC and whether continuity of care can be task shifted.
- 8.Further information on this recommendation can be found in the OptimizeMNH guideline, available at: http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/maternal_perinatal_health/978924504843/en/