Since 1960, the government of Bahrain has provided comprehensive health care that is in line with the World Health Organization global objectives to the whole population via a network of 22 health centers, and one secondary and tertiary care hospital, one psychiatric hospital, one geriatric hospital and four maternity hospitals distributed throughout the Kingdomʼs four Governorates.

Bahrainʼs maternal and child health care has a long history dating back to the start of medical services in the kingdom. Maternal and child health care aims to offer an integrated and preventive health care to mothers and children through pregnancy and after birth. Antenatal care is provided through a network of multi-purpose health centres throughout the country. Antenatal care services in Bahrain can be described as a success in achieving and improving maternal, perinatal and neonatal outcomes. Bahrain provides an illustration of antenatal care system with virtually all care provided by qualified midwives, who maintain a complex, reliable and well regarded primary care system and who keep the load on the secondary system at a low and workable level. ANC in Bahrain has reached almost all pregnant women with reported increase in the coverage of the recommended four ANC visits and increases in the coverage of a first trimester ANC visits. The backbone of the early detection and referral system that controls maternal mortality is in the hands of midwives who are trained to serve their women clients with professionalism and compassion.

Because of its successes, its applicability as a model for other countries is worthy of consideration though many of its features may not easily be replicable elsewhere. This paper attempts to identify the operational features and the most essential factors that contribute to safe pregnancy for women in this setting, and give some indication of what would be required for these to succeed in other settings.

Biography:
Nadia Abdulhadi is a senior lecturer at college of Health Sciences, University of Bahrain since 1984. She holds MSc degree in Perinatal Nursing from University of Pennsylvania (USA) and BSc. degree in Nursing from College of Health Sciences (Kingdom of Bahrain). She is the coordinator of the Midwifery Program since 2000. She is teaching Midwifery, Research, Management and Ethics courses to undergraduate Nursing students. She is World Health Organization (WHO) consultant for Midwifery Education since 2008. She has developed and taught several short courses for midwives in Bahrain. She is an active member in several professional organization and was honored several awards and letters of appreciation for excellence in teaching and contributions to the development of midwifery profession.