Guidelines
Since 2007 HRP/RHR is developing evidence-based guidelines in sexual and reproductive health using the GRADE approach for appraising the quality of evidence and determining the strength of recommendations and following the WHO Guidelines Review Committee standards. Guidelines on postpartum haemorrhage prevention (2007) and management (2009) were recently completed. WHO guidance is a unique mandate for setting standards internationally. Hence, guideline development and related knowledge exchange are key components of the project. Ongoing guideline activities will be completed and, following the needs assessment new guideline projects will be initiated accordingly. In particular, HRP/RHR will focus on providing relevant guidance on how best to deliver care at the primary health care and the community level.
Guidelines are conducted in collaboration with technical nodes that will take on responsibility for certain tasks and will be operationalized using an online content management system.
Ongoing guidelines
- Labour induction guideline: This guideline focuses on indications for labour induction and methods of induction. It was finalized in April 2010 and wil be published later in 2010.
- Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: This guideline is currently at the scoping stage. It will cover preventive interventions such as calcium and low-dose aspirin and magnesium sulfate for prevention and treatment of eclampsia. The panel meeting and the guideline publication is anticipated in 2011
- RHR/MPS IMPAC Guidelines working group: RHR and MPS department are working together on updating the IMPAC guidelines, primarily the Managing Complications of pregnancy and Childbirth book which was published in 2000. Currently, the antepartum haemorrhage section is being updated.
New guidelines
The use of lay health workers and task shifting for improving maternal and perinatal health care:
The guideline will target policy-makers and other decision-makers regarding the effectiveness of lay health workers and task shifting to improve delivery of effective interventions. Task shifting (or sharing) refers to a process whereby specific tasks are moved, where appropriate, to health workers with shorter training and fewer qualifications. There will be an initial stakeholder meeting supported by an online consultation to agree on the scope of the guideline with clear, focused questions and endpoints.
Related links
UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction Department of Reproductive Health and Research: (last revised: June 2010). World Health Organization.
