WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience

Published by World Health Organization on Apr 5, 2025

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Abstract

WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience


This publication is the update of the document published in 2014 entitled “WHO recommendations on postnatal care of the mother and newborn”.


ISBN 978-92-4-004598-9 (electronic version)
ISBN 978-92-4-004599-6 (print version)
 

© World Health Organization 2022
 

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Language

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PICOS

PICO 10.1

Population
Postpartum women and term infants (without complications)
Intervention
Schedules involving four postnatal home visits
Comparator
Schedules involving one postnatal home visit
Outcomes

PICO 10.1

Population
Term newborns without complications
Intervention
Whole-body massage
Comparator
No massage
Outcomes

PICO 10.1

Population
Neonates
Intervention
Vitamin A suplemmentation
Comparator
Placebo or no supplementation
Outcomes

PICO 10.1

Population
Term newborns without complications
Intervention
Delayed first bath (after 24 hours)
Comparator
Early first bath (at or before 24 hours)
Outcomes

PICO 10.1

Population
Postpartum women
Intervention
Screening for CMDs
Comparator
No screening or usual care
Outcomes

PICO 10.1

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
Cooling treatment (ice pack or cold gel pad)
Comparator
No pain relief or usual care
Outcomes

PICO 10.1

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Probiotics
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 10.2

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
Cooling treatment (cold gel pad)+compression
Comparator
Uncooled gel pad + compression
Outcomes

PICO 10.2

Population
Postpartum women and term infants (without complications)
Intervention
Schedules involving two postnatal visits
Comparator
Schedules involving one outpatient visit
Outcomes

PICO 10.2

Population
Term newborns without complications
Intervention
Delayed first bath (any time after 6 hours)
Comparator
Early first bath (at or before 6 hours)
Outcomes

PICO 10.2

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Hydrothermally processed cereal with anti-secretory factor-inducing properties
Comparator
standard cereal
Outcomes

PICO 10.3

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
Cooling treatment (ice pack)
Comparator
Room temperature water pack
Outcomes

PICO 10.3

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Specialist breastfeeding education
Comparator
usual care
Outcomes

PICO 10.4

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Acupoint massage
Comparator
routine care
Outcomes

PICO 10.4

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
Cooling treatment (ice pack)
Comparator
Cooling treatment (cold gel pad)
Outcomes

PICO 20.1

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Oral antibiotics (flucloxacillin)
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 20.1

Population
Postpartum women
Intervention
Interventions to prevent CMDs
Comparator
No intervention or usual care
Outcomes

PICO 20.1

Population
Healthy women who give birth in health facilities to term newborns without complications - vaginal birth
Intervention
Early discharge
Comparator
Usual discharge
Outcomes

PICO 20.1

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
Paracetamol (single administration, any dose)
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 20.1

Population
Term newborns without complications
Intervention
Universal eye screening
Comparator
No screening
Outcomes

PICO 20.1

Population
Term, breastfed infants
Intervention
Vitamin D supplementation for breastfed
Comparator
placebo or no supplementation
Outcomes

PICO 20.1

Population
Term newborns without complications
Intervention
Topical emollients
Comparator
No emollients
Outcomes

PICO 20.2

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Oral antibiotics (cloxacillin/erythromycin)
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 20.2

Population
Healthy women who give birth in health facilities to term newborns without complications - cesarean birth
Intervention
Early
Comparator
standard discharge
Outcomes

PICO 20.2

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
Aspirin (single administration, any dose)
Comparator
placebo for perineal pain
Outcomes

PICO 20.2

Population
Term, breastfed infants - by neonatal risk status (high risk or low risk)
Intervention
Vitamin D supplementation for breastfed infants
Comparator
Placebo or no supplementation
Outcomes

PICO 20.3

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Topical prophylactic antibiotics
Comparator
Usual care (breastfeeding advice)
Outcomes

PICO 20.3

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
NSAID (single administration, any dose)
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 20.3

Population
Term, breastfed infants - by neonatal active form (Vitamin D2 or D3), dosage (single oral dose of 50 000 IU or 400 IU daily), time of administration (from birth, from one month age), and duration of supplementation (single, oral 50 000 IU at birth, 1–2 months or > 6 months)
Intervention
Vitamin D supplementation for breastfed infants
Comparator
Placebo or no supplementation
Outcomes

PICO 20.3

Population
Healthy women who give birth in Health facilities to term newborns without complications - Ad-hoc analyses by time of discharge and mode of birth
Intervention
Early discharge
Comparator
Usual discharge
Outcomes

PICO 20.4

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
300 mg aspirin single dose
Comparator
600 mg aspirin single dose
Outcomes

PICO 20.5

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
600 mg aspirin single dose
Comparator
1200 mg aspirin single dose
Outcomes

PICO 20.6

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
300 mg aspirin single dose
Comparator
1200 mg aspirin single dose
Outcomes

PICO 20.7

Population
postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
NSAID
Comparator
Higher single dose of the same NSAID
Outcomes

PICO 20.8

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
NSAID (single administration, any dose)
Comparator
paracetamol
Outcomes

PICO 20.9

Population
Postpartum women requesting perineal pain relief
Intervention
NSAID
Comparator
a different NSAID
Outcomes

PICO 30.1

Population
Term newborns without complications
Intervention
Routine application of chlorhexidine to the umbilical cord stump
Comparator
Dry cord care or usual care
Outcomes

PICO 30.1

Population
Term newborns without complications
Intervention
UNHS
Comparator
No screening or selective screening
Outcomes

PICO 30.1

Population
Postpartum women
Intervention
Laxative
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 30.1

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
Paracetamol
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 30.1

Population
Postpartum women and term newborns (without complications), and parents/caregivers/families
Intervention
Criteria to be assessed prior to discharge from the health facility
Comparator
Outcomes

PICO 30.2

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
NSAID
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 30.3

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
Opioid
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 30.4

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
Naproxen lower dose
Comparator
Naproxen higher dose
Outcomes

PICO 30.5

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
Ketorolac lower dose
Comparator
Ketorolac higher dose
Outcomes

PICO 30.6

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
Codeine lower dose
Comparator
Codeine higher dose
Outcomes

PICO 30.7

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
Aspirin
Comparator
naproxen
Outcomes

PICO 30.8

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
Aspirin
Comparator
flurbiprofen
Outcomes

PICO 30.9

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
Aspirin
Comparator
ketorolac
Outcomes

PICO 30.10

Population
Women with pain due to uterine cramping/involution after birth
Intervention
Codeine
Comparator
nalbuphine
Outcomes

PICO 30.11

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
Paracetamol
Comparator
NSAID
Outcomes

PICO 30.12

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
NSAID
Comparator
opioid
Outcomes

PICO 30.13

Population
Postpartum women requesting uterine cramping/involution pain relief
Intervention
NSAID
Comparator
herbal analgesia
Outcomes

PICO 40.1

Population
Postpartum women and term newborns (without complications), parents/caregivers/families and health workers
Intervention
Written education booklet
Comparator
Control leaflet
Outcomes

PICO 40.1

Population
Term newborns without complications
Intervention
Universal TcB
Comparator
Clinical screening
Outcomes

PICO 40.1

Population
Term newborns without complications
Intervention
Sleeping in a supine position
Comparator
Sleeping in a nonsupine (prone or side) position
Outcomes

PICO 40.1

Population
Postpartum women (prevention or treatment)
Intervention
Postnatal pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT)
Comparator
No PFMT or usual care
Outcomes

PICO 40.2

Population
Postpartum women (treatment)
Intervention
Postnatal pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT)
Comparator
No PFMT or usual care
Outcomes

PICO 40.2

Population
Term newborns without complications
Intervention
Universal TSB
Comparator
Clinical screening
Outcomes

PICO 40.2

Population
Postpartum women and term newborns (without complications), parents/caregivers/families and health workers
Intervention
Discharge education by a designated nurse
Comparator
usual care
Outcomes

PICO 50.1

Population
Term newborns without complications
Intervention
Inmunization
Comparator
No inmuization
Outcomes

PICO 50.1

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Cabbage leaf extract cream
Comparator
Placebo
Outcomes

PICO 50.1

Population
Postpartum women and term newborns (without complications)
Intervention
Postnatal care home visits
Comparator
Usual care (without home visits)
Outcomes

PICO 50.2

Population
Postpartum women and term newborns (without complications)
Intervention
Postnatal care home visits
Comparator
Usual care (without home visits)
Outcomes

PICO 50.2

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Cold cabbage leaves
Comparator
Usual care
Outcomes

PICO 50.3

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Cold gel packs
Comparator
Usual care
Outcomes

PICO 50.3

Population
Postpartum women and term newborns (without complications)
Intervention
Postnatal care home visits
Comparator
Outpatient posnatal care
Outcomes

PICO 50.4

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Warm herbal compress
Comparator
Usual care
Outcomes

PICO 50.5

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Breast massage
Comparator
usual care
Outcomes

PICO 60.1

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Subcutaneous oxytocin
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 60.2

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Oral protease complex
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 60.3

Population
Breastfeeding women
Intervention
Oral serrapeptase
Comparator
placebo
Outcomes

PICO 90.1

Population
Women, men, communities and health workers
Intervention
Couples education
Comparator
No intervention or usual care
Outcomes

PICO 90.2

Population
Women, men, communities and health workers
Intervention
Couples education
Comparator
Women’s education alone
Outcomes

PICO 90.3

Population
Women, men, communities and health workers
Intervention
Men’s education
Comparator
No intervention or usual care
Outcomes

PICO 90.4

Population
Women, men, communities and health workers
Intervention
Labour companion (father)
Comparator
No companion
Outcomes

PICO 90.5

Population
Women, men, communities and health workers
Intervention
Labour companion (father)
Comparator
Labour companion (female friend)
Outcomes

PICO 90.6

Population
Women, men, communities and health workers
Intervention
Multicomponent
Comparator
No intervention or usual care
Outcomes