Strengthening Antenatal Care for Indigenous Women in Guatemala

Strengthening Antenatal Care for Indigenous Women in Guatemala

Overview

From 2019 to 2021, the Strengthening Antenatal Care for Indigenous Women in Guatemala project, led by MSH, worked to improve the quality and cultural responsiveness of antenatal care for Indigenous women in the Western Highlands. In close partnership with local health authorities and communities, the project supported primary health care providers to deliver respectful, high-quality care that honored both biomedical standards and traditional practices.

This work laid the foundation for the next phase: Healthy Mothers and Babies in Guatemala (Utz’ Na’n), which began in 2021 and continues through 2027. The Utz’ Na’n initiative builds on these early successes to strengthen the continuum of maternal and newborn care, deepen collaboration with Indigenous midwives, and advance equity in primary health services for women and families.

Learn more about the ongoing Utz Na’n project here: https://msh.org/projects/healthy-mothers-and-babies-in-guatemala/

As the 2020 coronavirus pandemic reached Guatemala, the Strengthening Antenatal Care for Indigenous Women in Guatemala project had to adapt to lockdowns and social distancing measures. Learn more about the strategies employed to support health facilities and midwives to maintain continuous antenatal care services throughout the pandemic.

Project Contact

Felipe López

Project Director

Dr. Felipe López, a physician and surgeon, has over 30 years of global experience in health, providing technical assistance to Guatemalan institutions and the ministries and secretaries of health of the Mesoamerican region (Mexico to Panama). He has a background in maternal and child care, family planning, HIV and AIDS, primary health care, monitoring and evaluation, human resources for health, training and health training manuals, and quality assurance in health administration and management. Dr. López graduated from the University of San Carlos de Guatemala with a specialty in sexual and reproductive health and a postgraduate degree in epidemiology. He also has postgraduate degrees in re-engineering and quality assurance from the Francisco Marroquin University.

Donors & Partners

Donors

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

Partners

Health Unlimited

Observatory for Sexual and Reproductive Health