Promoting evidence-based care in childbirth and maternal health
Applying evidence to clinical practice is a requirement for best patient care.
Despite the progress in last two decades in many countries in the European Region, some health professionals still lack the appropriate skills in epidemiology and access to international sources of up-to-date technical knowledge. This is a major constraint in making appropriate clinical guidelines available and used.
WHO/Europe has initiated an evidence-based approach that promotes the finding and use of up-to-date scientific evidence. Implementation of evidence-based guidelines can improve the quality of care of patients by supporting interventions of proven benefit, while discouraging interventions that are ineffective or potentially harmful.
Partners (UNFPA, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and others) provide clinicians with the basic concept of evidence-based medicine and guide them through development of clinical guidelines.
