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Maternity Care as a Global Health Policy Issue

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The Palgrave International Handbook of Healthcare Policy and Governance

Abstract

Governments play a crucial role in defining what is ‘maternal health’ and decid- ing what services are included in maternity care delivery. State policies also shape the roles of formal and informal care providers, families, the public, and commercial and voluntary sectors in providing maternity as well as newborn and reproductive healthcare services. Reducing health inequities for pregnan women and increasing their access to quality maternity services have been foci of global efforts to realize the right of every woman to the best possible mater- nity care. In the last half century, most high-income countries have publicly invested in universal healthcare (UHC) coverage for their respective popula- tions, which has included comprehensive maternity care. More recently, several low- to middle-income countries have likewise been investing in universal healthcare coverage.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Victoria, Canada

    Cecilia Benoit (Professor of Sociology)

  2. Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia, Canada

    Cecilia Benoit (Professor of Sociology)

  3. DrPH Education, Boston University School of Public Health, USA

    Eugene Declercq (Professor of Community Health Sciences and Assistant Dean)

  4. International Development Institute, King’s College London, UK

    Susan F. Murray (Reader in International Healthcare)

  5. Women’s Health Academic Centre and the Centre for Implementation Science, King’s College London, UK

    Jane Sandall (Professor of Social Science and Women’s Health)

  6. Bournemouth University, UK

    Edwin van Teijlingen (Professor of Reproductive Health Research)

  7. University of Helsinki, Finland

    Sirpa Wrede (Senior Lecturer and Docent of Sociology)

Authors
  1. Cecilia Benoit
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  2. Eugene Declercq
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  3. Susan F. Murray
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  4. Jane Sandall
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  5. Edwin van Teijlingen
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  6. Sirpa Wrede
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

    Ellen Kuhlmann

  2. University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Robert H. Blank (Adjunct Professor) (Adjunct Professor)

  3. Institute of Population Health and the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Canada

    Ivy Lynn Bourgeault (Professor) (Professor)

  4. University of Siegen, Germany

    Claus Wendt (Professor of Sociology of Health and Healthcare Systems) (Professor of Sociology of Health and Healthcare Systems)

Copyright information

© 2015 Cecilia Benoit, Eugene Declercq, Susan F. Murray, Jane Sandall, Edwin van Teijlingen and Sirpa Wrede

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Cite this chapter

Benoit, C., Declercq, E., Murray, S.F., Sandall, J., van Teijlingen, E., Wrede, S. (2015). Maternity Care as a Global Health Policy Issue. In: Kuhlmann, E., Blank, R.H., Bourgeault, I.L., Wendt, C. (eds) The Palgrave International Handbook of Healthcare Policy and Governance. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137384935_6

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