Does provision of antenatal care, post-natal care and perinatal care reduce maternal, neonatal and child mortality? With special attention towards Bangladesh situation in global perspective

Abstract

The present review was intended to explore the effectiveness of perinatal services such as antenatal care (ANC) and post-natal care (PNC) on the health indicators such as maternal, child and neonatal mortality. Globally, indicators are considered very important in determining the health status and the overall performance of a country's healthcare system. A literature search was conducted using maternal mortality, child mortality, neonatal mortality, ANC and PNC in the PubMed, Google, Academia, The Lancet and Journal of the American Medical Association databases. Globally, implementing integrated perinatal care services has brought positive changes in the maternal, child and neonatal mortality indices. The United Nations (UN) is committed to improving the overall living conditions in all countries, significantly improving the population's health status. The UN came up with eight Millennium Development Goals in 2000, aiming to eliminate poverty and increase development in member states. The World Health Organization was a partner in implementing these goals. Later, the UN introduced 17-fold Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 as a blueprint for peace and prosperity for all citizens towards a better future by 2030. As a result, many countries have experienced positive changes in most indicator areas, including service utilisation, maternal mortality and child mortality. Some Sub-Saharan African and South Asian countries are progressing, however, slowly.