Bibliographic information

GuidelineWHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience.
Year of Publication2022
Issuing InstitutionWorld Health Organization

Recommendation

Maintained

In settings where the TB disease prevalence in the general population is 100/100 000 population or higher, systematic screening for TB disease may be conducted among women in the postpartum period.

Context specific recommendation

Only in specific contexts

Notes and Remarks

Remarks

  • These recommendations have been adapted and integrated from the 2021 WHO consolidated guidelines on tuberculosis Module 2: Screening – Systematic screening for tuberculosis disease (43) where Recommendations 3a and 3b were considered conditional recommendations based on low and very low-certainty evidence, respectively, and Recommendation 3c was considered a strong recommendation based on moderate-certainty evidence.
  • Related recommendations from this guideline include the following.
  • In high-prevalence settings, systematic screening for active tuberculosis should be considered for pregnant women as part of antenatal care as per the 2016 WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience (16).
  • Systematic screening for TB disease may be conducted among women in the postpartum period in subpopulations with structural risk factors for TB. These include urban poor communities, homeless communities, communities in remote or isolated areas, Indigenous populations, migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons and other priority groups with limited access to health care.
  • Any newborn whose mother has tested positive or who has had close contact with someone with TB disease should be screened for TB with a symptom screen and/or chest radiograph as part of active contact tracing.

Also Featured In

This recommendation also appears in the following guidelines:

Originally Developed
Guideline

Systematic screening for active tuberculosis: principles and recommendations

Year2013
InstitutionWHO
Guideline

WHO consolidated guidelines on tuberculosis: module 2: screening: systematic screening for tuberculosis disease

Year2021
Institution
Guideline

Consolidated guidelines on HIV, viral hepatitis and STI prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations

Year2022
InstitutionWHO
Guideline

WHO recommendations on maternal health: guidelines approved by the WHO Guidelines Review Committee, second edition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025

Year2023
InstitutionWorld Health Organization
Guideline

WHO consolidated guidelines on tuberculosis: module 6: tuberculosis and comorbidities, 2nd ed.

Year2025
InstitutionWorld Health Organization