Remarks

• This recommendation has been retained, following review of new evidence, from the 2015 WHO recommendations on health promotion interventions for maternal and newborn health (250).
• The Guideline Development Group (GDG) agreed that, despite the availability of additional studies specific to the postnatal period, the evidence base continues to be heterogeneous and of mixed certainty, and therefore the GDG decided not to modify the existing 2015 recommendation.
• A diverse set of interventions was identified in the effectiveness review and the qualitative evidence synthesis, but there was insufficient evidence to identify whether any of the different implementation approaches were more effective for improving maternal and newborn health outcomes.
• The GDG indicated that both the benefits and the harms that can result from interventions are important, but that the harms can be mitigated through a well-designed and closely monitored intervention, which involves women in the design and monitoring of interventions to involve men, and asks women about their experiences of men’s involvement.
• The GDG refers to the important implementation considerations highlighted in the previous WHO guideline, particularly the call for these interventions to be implemented in a way that respects, promotes and facilitates women’s choices and autonomy in decision-making, and supports women in taking care of themselves and their newborns.
• The GDG recognized that the involvement of fathers is an important component of early childhood health and development (see Recommendations 38 and 39 in this guideline).