Skip Navigation

Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

Sign up for MCHalert eNewsletter

Multimedia MCH Resources Bibliography

Multimedia MCH Resources

Bibliography of Materials from MCHLine®

This bibliography of 11 items is drawn from MCHLine®, the MCH Digital Library online catalog.

The MCH Digital Library focuses on publications from federal and state agencies, from grantees of federal and state agencies, and from professional and voluntary organizations. It contains unique materials on the history of maternal and child health in the United States, policy papers, reports, conference proceedings, manuals, survey instruments, guidelines, and curricula. The library does not collect materials on clinical medicine. Consumer health materials and commercially published materials are collected very selectively.

Displaying 11 records.

Ohio Perinatal Mental Health Task Force. n.d.. Perinatal mental health screening protocol and briefing. Columbus, OH: Ohio Perinatal Mental Health Task Force , 26 pp.

Annotation: This perinatal mental health screening protocol and briefing guide is designed to provide a culturally responsive framework for screening Black birthing persons. The protocol aims to address the urgent need for improved screening and quality care for this population, which is at higher risk for perinatal depression and anxiety. Informed by focus groups with Black birthing people, Black birth workers, perinatal service providers, and a literature review, the guide outlines five key steps for conducting screenings: fostering an atmosphere of trust and safety, starting a conversation, providing choice and transparency, discussing results with patients, and making referrals with follow-through. The briefing includes considerations for providers before screening, such as assessing biases, serving with cultural humility, understanding community fears and stigma, and recognizing common phrases used to indicate anxiety or depression. The protocol also provides guidance on establishing an organizational screening process and building culturally responsive referral partnerships.

Keywords: Blacks, Child birth, Culutral sensitivity, Mental health, Ohio, Perinatal care, Protocol, Quality improvement, Screening, State initiatives

Women's Preventive Services Initiative . 2025. Well woman chart . Washington, DC: , 3 pp.

Annotation: This chart provides a framework for clinicians to integrate clinical screenings and interventions into practice based on age, health status, and risk factors. It outlines evidence-based guidance for adolescent and adult women, including specific recommendations for care during the pregnancy and postpartum periods. Major topics include screenings for general health conditions such as anxiety and diabetes, infectious disease risk assessments, and cancer detection strategies. The document also addresses clinical practice considerations, such as risk assessment methods and the appropriate frequency for delivering specific services. Available in English and Spanish.

Keywords: Guidelines, Prevention, Screening, Standards, Women

Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative. 2024. Preconception and interconception care resource workbook . Jefferson City, MO: Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative, 12 pp.

Annotation: This workbook provides guidance for implementing preconception and interconception care, which focuses on optimizing the health of individuals before and between pregnancies to improve maternal and infant outcomes. It summarizes the evidence on the importance of addressing modifiable risk factors prior to pregnancy, such as chronic disease management, nutritional status, substance exposure, and preventive health services. The workbook highlights concerning trends in maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S., with stark racial disparities, and presents Missouri-specific data on conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity that contribute to adverse outcomes. Evidence-based recommendations are provided for key components of preconception and interconception care across health care settings, including family planning, preventive screenings, chronic disease management, breastfeeding support, and depression screening. The workbook offers clinical tools and resources for providers to implement this care to promote optimal health for birthing people.

Keywords: Guidelines, Health care disparities, Missouri, Preconception care, Prevention, Primary care, Risk factors, State initiatives

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. Screening and diagnosis of mental health conditions during pregnancy and postpartum. Washington, DC: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,

AWHONN. 2023. Postpartum hemorrhage risk assessment table. , 3 pp.

Annotation: The Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) Risk Assessment Table is designed to guide clinicians in assessing a patient's risk for postpartum hemorrhage at three critical time points: admission, pre-birth (approximately 30-60 minutes prior to giving birth), and upon admission to postpartum. Risk factors are categorized as low, medium, or high at each stage, with specific criteria listed for each category. The document provides guidance on adjusting a patient's risk level if they develop additional risk factors and outlines anticipatory interventions and blood bank orders appropriate for each risk category at the different assessment times. The table is intended to guide clinical decision-making in conjunction with clinical judgment and hospital policy.

Keywords: Hemorrhage, Postpartum care, Resources for professionals, Risk assessment

Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health. 2023. Universal screening for maternal mental health disorders. Los Angeles, CA: Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, 17 pp.

Annotation: This issue brief provides an overview of universal screening for maternal mental health disorders, which are the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth. The brief outlines the importance of screening in identifying at-risk mothers and enabling early treatment. It discusses commonly recommended screening tools for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD, and psychosis, as well as considerations for screening in racially and ethnically diverse populations. The document reviews recommendations from professional organizations on when and how often screening should occur, highlighting the role of obstetricians as primary screeners. Barriers to screening and follow-up care are addressed, including mental health provider shortages, reimbursement challenges, and the bifurcated mental health system. The brief also covers recent developments such as the extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage and the creation of a HEDIS quality measure to track screening rates.

Keywords: Maternal health, Measures, Mental disorders, Mental health, Resources for professionals, Screening

The Chiles Center at University of South Florida College of Public Health. 2022. Florida Postpartum Access & Continuity of Care (PACC) Toolkit: A Quality Improvement Initiative. , 18 pp.

Annotation: This toolkit provides guidance to hospitals and obstetric providers in developing individualized policies, protocols, practices, and materials related to hospital-facilitated postpartum care and education for pregnant and postpartum women with emphasis on high-risk women. The document presents evidence-based strategies to improve maternal health outcomes through hospital-facilitated continuum of postpartum care by coordinating and providing respectful, timely, and risk-appropriate coordinated care and services. It addresses the development of standardized approaches to promote recommended screening, prevention, treatment, and education services through a multidisciplinary team approach that includes administration, nursing, obstetric providers, neonatology, social work/case managers, community providers, and emergency department staff. The toolkit is organized by three key drivers: screening and arranging early postpartum visits, comprehensive patient education, and clinician engagement and education, with each section providing links to resources that hospitals can adapt for local use.

Keywords: Florida, Perinatal care, Postpartum care, Protocols, Quality Improvement: Policy development, Resources for professionals, Standards, State initiatives

US Preventive Services Task Force. 2017. Screening for Preeclampsia: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement, 7

Annotation: This recommendation statement from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updates their 1996 guidelines on screening for preeclampsia during pregnancy. The document provides clinical considerations, assessment of benefits and harms, and evidence supporting the recommendation that all pregnant women be screened for preeclampsia with blood pressure measurements throughout pregnancy (B recommendation). It explains that preeclampsia affects approximately 4% of pregnancies in the United States and is the second leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide, with African American women experiencing case fatality rates three times higher than white women. The statement includes details about screening approaches, diagnostic criteria, and risk factors, emphasizing the importance of regular blood pressure measurements during prenatal visits. It also discusses treatment options for diagnosed preeclampsia, including close fetal and maternal monitoring, antihypertension medications, and magnesium sulfate.

Keywords: Guidelines, Preeclamsia, Screening

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, Montana Coalition. 2015. Screening protocol for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders for primary care providers . Helena, MT: Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, Montana Coalition, 47 pp.

Annotation: This screening protocol for primary care providers discusses mental health screening options and available tools, administration of the screening tool and how it is presented, evaluated, and addressed with the patient; how to respond to a positive screen; and where to refer patients who need additional treatment, support, or services.

Keywords: Mental health, Perinatal care, Postpartum care, Primary care, Protocols, Referrals, Screening

Cox J, Holden J, Henshaw C. 2003. Perinatal mental health: A guide to the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). (2nd ed.). London, United Kingdom: Gaskell, 213 pp.

Annotation: This book is intended to provide readers in different countries with updated and accessible information on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), a 10-item self-report scale devised as a screening questionnaire to improve the detection of postnatal depression in the community. The EPDS has been translated into a number of languages, and 20 of the translated versions appear in the book. The book also offers readers information on the use of the EPDS in primary and secondary care. It provides an overview of postnatal depression, discusses the origins and development of the EPDS, addresses international and cultural issues, addresses use of the EPDS in research, discusses counseling and other interventions, talks about EPDS screening and intervention services, and explains how to use the EPDS. Two appendices include the original EPDS and 20 translations, in Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Czech, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Icelandic, Japanese, Maltese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

Keywords: Asian language materials, Counseling, Cultural factors, I, International health, Intervention, Maternal health, Mental health, Non English language materials, Postpartum depression, Primary care, Questionnaires, Research, Screening, Secondary care, Spanish language materials, Translations, Women's health

Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health. Maternal early warning system implementation resource kit. Washington, DC: Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health,

Annotation: This resource kit is a collection of best practices to aid in the early recognition of changes in pregnant and postpartum patient’s vital signs and clinical conditions. Developed by the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM), it addresses the rising maternal mortality rates in the United States, particularly noting racial and ethnic disparities, and presents MEWS (Maternal Early Warning System) as a critical tool for early recognition of potential complications. The resource kit includes sections on readiness assessment, recognition and prevention, response protocols, reporting and systems learning, and respectful care practices. It features practical implementation tools such as trigger criteria examples, protocol templates, assessment tools, and patient education resources. The kit emphasizes multidisciplinary teamwork, healthcare professional training, EHR integration, and post-event reviews to support standardized protocols for recognizing and responding to maternal health conditions, with the goal of reducing preventable adverse outcomes and maternal mortality.

Keywords: Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Patient education, Perinatal care, Postpartum care, Prevention, Professional training, Protocols, Risk factors, Standards

The MCH Library is one of six special collections at Georgetown University, the nation's oldest Jesuit institution of higher education. The library is supported through foundation, private, university, state, and federal funding. This information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by Georgetown University or the U.S. Government. Note: web pages whose development was supported by federal government grants are being reviewed to comply with applicable Executive Orders.