Maternal health is concerned with the health and well-being of mothers immediately before, during, and after pregnancy to ensure that both they and their baby are healthy. This encompasses a wide variety of issues and subtopics, including family planning, access to proper medical resources, nutrition and lifestyle education during pregnancy, and postnatal care of a newborn.
Many factors must be taken into consideration when attempting to ensure healthy delivery of a baby, including genetics, social circumstances, proper screening and access to medical resources, Poverty, malnutrition, and substance abuse are all factors when taking into consideration maternal and children's health.
Maternal and Child Health: Global Challenges, Programs, and Policies, 2009 Edition by 
Maternal and Child Health: Problems, Programs, and Policy in Public Health, 3rd Edition by Birth Defects