Comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care at a rural community health centre in Northern India: a case series and quality improvement experience

Abstract

Maternal mortality remains a significant public health challenge in low- and middle-income countries. Maternal sepsis, severe anaemia, delayed referral, and inadequate access to emergency obstetric care continue to contribute to maternal and neonatal morbidity, particularly in rural India. Strengthening Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) services at Community Health Centres (CHCs) is essential for improving pregnancy outcomes and reducing preventable maternal deaths. This case series describes five representative maternal health interventions undertaken at Community Health Centre (CHC) Faridpur, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. The series includes emergency management of maternal sepsis with severe anaemia, life-saving emergency caesarean section in a critically ill pregnant woman following unsuccessful referral, implementation of a telephonic follow-up system for high-risk pregnancies, promotion of respectful maternity care through innovative discharge practices, and strengthening of institutional delivery services. Timely clinical assessment, multidisciplinary teamwork, adherence to evidence-based obstetric protocols, and patient-centred care resulted in favourable maternal and neonatal outcomes while improving continuity of antenatal care and community confidence in public health services. This case series demonstrates that strengthened emergency obstetric services, early recognition of high-risk conditions, coordinated multidisciplinary management, and innovative maternal health interventions can substantially improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in rural secondary healthcare settings. The experiences from CHC Faridpur provide a practical model for enhancing quality maternity care in resource-constrained environments.