Mothers’ Shelter Intervention being Evaluated

Mothers Shelters (MSs), more commonly known as Maternity Homes, are temporary lodgings located near health facilities with skilled care for pregnant mothers who are close to term. MSs represent a potentially useful strategy to improve access to skilled obstetric care, particularly for those living farthest from the health facilities. MSs provide pregnant women with the option of planning ahead and traveling to health facilities well before labor begins, and have existed in various forms since the 1950s.

With community input the Mothers’ Shelter Alliance specified a Minimum Core Mothers’ Shelter Model (MCMSM) that is responsive to community standards of acceptability including safety, comfort, and services offered. Each domain of the MCMSM with a summary of its key components is detailed in below.