It all starts with her! Six steps to ensure maternal and child well-being

For this year's World Health Day we are advocating for healthy beginnings, hopeful futures - a reminder of the critical need to prioritize maternal and child health around the world.

Keeping mothers and children healthy not only saves lives but provides the foundation for resilient communities. Investing in maternal and child health ensures the physical, emotional and economic well-being of families in its entirety-making it one of the top priorities for global and national development.

Here are six steps to ensure maternal and child well-being, for a healthier generation

1. Access to quality care

For a pregnant woman, pre and postnatal care is crucial for the health of both the mother and the child. The earlier a mother starts prenatal visits, the better. Routine check-ups help monitor the baby's development, identify potential complications and provide essential screenings and supplements, such as folic acid. Timely medical attention during pregnancy, childbirth and the post-birth period can prevent complications and save lives.

2. Build strong foundations with nutrition

Proper nutrition is the foundation of a healthy start. Breastfeeding can significantly improve both maternal and child health outcomes, it provides essential nutrients and antibodies to the newborn. For mothers, nutritious food and supplements are essential for overall well-being and development. Counselling about healthy eating and keeping physically active during pregnancy is recommended for pregnant women to stay healthy and to prevent excessive weight gain during pregnancy.

3. Safer motherhood

Despite advancements, maternal mortality remains a major global health issue. By ensuring skilled birth attendants, emergency obstetric care and reducing preventable conditions, we can reduce the numbers. It is not just about survival; it is about ensuring a brighter and hopeful future for women and their children. The WHO recommends a minimum of eight contacts with antenatal health care provider to reduce perinatal complications and improve women's experience of care.

4. Protection with immunization

Vaccines are a simple but powerful tool in preventing life threatening diseases in both mothers and children. Promoting immunization during pregnancy and ensuring that all children receive their early childhood vaccines can prevent infections and create healthier futures. WHO recommends Tetanus toxoid vaccination for all pregnant women, depending on previous tetanus vaccination exposure, to prevent neonatal mortality from tetanus.

5. Mental health matters

Life altering moments like pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood can be stressful for women and their partners. As a result, women may undergo a period of poor mental health or witness a worsening of previous mental health conditions. Maternal mental health is just as important as physical health. Postpartum depression and anxiety can have lasting effects on both mother and child. Support systems, counseling and mental health screenings are vital to ensuring a healthy start for both the mother and child.

6. Fostering family planning education

Family planning empowers women to make informed choices about pregnancy, improving maternal and child health. Access to education and contraceptive methods ensures that pregnancies are planned and spaced, reducing risks for both mother and baby.

Ensuring access to quality care, nutritious food, safe childbirth and mental health support-every step counts. By focusing on a positive pregnancy experience and a healthy pregnancy journey for the mother and baby, it leads to an effective transition from labour to childbirth, ultimately to a positive experience of motherhood.

Whether you're a mother seeking support or a community member offering help, your role is vital. Let's create a world where every mother feels heard, cared for, and empowered - because healthy mothers mean healthier families and brighter futures for all. Together, we can create healthy beginnings and hopeful futures for generations to come.