Perspective Chapter: Contemporary Challenges in Postnatal Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Abstract

The postnatal phase is the first six weeks after delivery and is a critical time for mothers, newborns, and other caregivers as a highly neglected phase of a transition period. Almost all maternal and neonatal deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where fewer services are provided for mothers after the delivery period, which constitutes a tremendous challenge facing mothers in these countries. Barriers were markedly observed in low-and middle-income countries as a result of financial constraints, distance from the health center, poor programming for postnatal care, negative childbirth experiences, and cultural constraints. Moreover, the unproper advocacy of contraceptive use during the postpartum period impacts prolonged interpregnancy intervals and indirectly increases postpartum complications mainly in low- and middle-income countries. The importance of the quality of postnatal care was frequently addressed to answer the required interventions that should be implemented at the level of healthcare facilities, household, and community levels as part of the process of reducing the impact of postnatal complications, disabilities, and maternal mortality.