Nevertheless, PNC services tend to be poorly covered when compared with other reproductive health care services. Although for most women and newborn infants, the postnatal period is uncomplicated and manageable, effective and adequate care during this period needs to address any deviation from expected recovery after birth and to appropriately intervene in a timely fashion. Postnatal care (PNC) is the care given to the mother and her newborn infant immediately after the birth and during the postnatal period. Timely, high quality postnatal care is crucial for maximizing maternal and newborn health. In this regard, it is particularly important that all births are attended by skilled health personnel and that all women have access to the appropriate level of care before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth.
Providentially, most maternal and infant mortalities are preventable and healthcare solutions to handle and avoid complications are well-known. Given that maternal health and newborn health are closely linked, interventions targeting maternal care can likely also improve fetal and neonatal health. According to recent estimates by the World Health Organization, upwards of 303,000 women died as a result of pregnancy and child birth-related complications and approximately 2.7 million newborn babies died after birth in 2015. In fact, the postnatal period poses substantial health risks for both mothers and newborn infants and is the period when most maternal and infant mortalities and morbidities occur. While most expecting mothers focus on potential risks involved during pregnancy and up to delivery, a few closely consider the risks afterward. During this period, parents are supposed to make physical, psychological and social re-adjustments to restore balance in their lives. The postnatal period marks an important transition in the lives of parents as it brings about major changes in parental roles, responsibilities, and identities. Yet, some evidence indicates that the postnatal period is a continuity of three distinct phases of which the third one lasts up to six months following delivery. Beginning immediately after childbirth, the postnatal period usually extends for about six weeks as the mother’s body returns to its pre-pregnant state. The postnatal (or postpartum) period is the most critical, yet the most neglected phase in the lives of mothers and newborn infants.
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