Is the Maternal and Child Health Handbook a Source of Information for Maternal and Child Health Continuum of Care?

Abstract

To ensure continuum care for maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), home-based records (HBRs) are expected to promote communication between healthcare providers, pregnant women and children’ caregivers. WHO guidelines (2018) recommend HBRs use for MNCH, and request their effective implementation. However, information on HBRs global implementation is inadequate. This study aimed to identify implementation regarding Maternal and Child Health (MCH) handbook, an integrated HBR for ensuring continuum care. This study included literature review to explore components of MCH handbook usage, to identify researchers’ acknowledgment of the handbook as a feasible source of information, and to examine existing national/subnational level implementation information. Components of the handbook usage in this study focuses on distribute, explain, and record/multi-record by health personnel, and receive, retain, bring/multi-bring, and read by women/mothers. While existing nationally representative data of many countries allows us to measure distribution/receipt and retention of HBRs regarding child immunization, some countries have used MCH handbook in surveys to obtain more information (e.g., antenatal/birth records) for their health policies. The researches that have used the handbook for information on different stages of MNCH may have indicated its implementation maturity in their countries.