Maternal and Child Health, Vol. 1

In this new edition, the editor and contributors update and expand on the concepts of global maternal and child health (MCH) issues that affect reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) that were introduced in the first edition of the textbook. Contributors include authors from various continents of the world aimed at capturing diverse experiences and rich perspectives on emerging issues in global RMNCAH. 

Maternal and child health, the public health discipline that deals with the promotion and protection of the health of women, children, adolescents, families, and communities, has been the core of international cooperation in health since the early 18th century. Today, a significant proportion of the activities undertaken by international development agencies and professionals remain focused on protecting and improving the health and well-being of women, children, adolescents, and families. With increasing globalization and escalating global poverty, application of public health principles to the solution of health problems that transcend national boundaries has become an issue of heightened interest among scholars of public health, national governments, non-governmental organizations, and bilateral agencies. Acquisition of knowledge and the development of competencies to address global MCH issues have become essential for health professionals, whether they practice in high-income settings or in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This textbook addresses this need.

Among the topics covered that are new to the second edition:

• Impact of climate change on MCH populations
• Life course perspectives on MCH
• Progress and challenges towards the survive, thrive, and transform strategy
• Non-communicable diseases and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health
• Reproductive health in maternal and adolescent populations
• Impact of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases on MCH
• Sleep health in MCH

Maternal and Child Health, Vol. 1: Global Challenges, Programs, and Policies, 2nd Ed., with a focus on foundations, frameworks, and global context, serves as an invaluable reference material for students and instructors seeking information on critical issues in global MCH, frontline professionals desiring information on evidence-based MCH programs and policies, and policymakers seeking a crucial appraisal of priorities for research and development in the field. 

John E. Ehiri, PhD, MPH, MSc (Econ), is a global health expert with a distinguished career that spans over three decades. He is currently a University Distinguished Outreach Professor, and the Vice Dean for Education and Faculty Affairs at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, USA. His extensive academic background includes a PhD in Public Health and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, along with a Master of Science (Econ) degree in Health Policy and Planning from the University of Swansea, Wales.

Dr. Ehiri has held several notable academic and leadership positions, including Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Promotion Sciences at the University of Arizona, Tucson, USA, and tenured Associate Professor in Maternal and Child Health and Health Behavior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Public Health, USA. He previously served as the Director of Studies for the Master of Community Health (MCommH) degree program at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, England. Between 2005 and 2009, Dr. Ehiri was Chair of the Executive Committee of the UAB Framework for Global Health Program, an initiative that was funded by the Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), which goal was to build global health education and research capacity in the United States and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by supporting the development of innovative multidisciplinary global health education programs.

Effectively combining his primary responsibilities as a faculty member with his significant leadership roles, Dr. Ehiri continues to be engaged in expansive, high-impact, community-engaged research that aligns with his academic and research pursuits at the local, state, national, and global levels. His research and teaching primarily address health systems strengthening, maternal, child, and adolescent health interventions, infectious disease prevention, and health empowerment. He has authored and edited key public health textbooks and published over 200 peer-reviewed articles. Born and raised in Nigeria, West Africa, Dr. Ehiri brings to the global maternal, child, and adolescent health discourse, many years of lived experience in sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and the USA, which provide him with an in-depth understanding of diverse health issues, as well as health and socioeconomic challenges in high, and low-income regions of the world.

Dr. Ehiri's contributions extend beyond academia and research. As a dedicated mentor and educator, he has guided numerous students and early-career professionals in public health, preparing the next generation of leaders in global health. His academic career has been marked by a commitment to academic excellence, evidenced by several prestigious teaching awards, such as Awards for Excellence in Teaching at both the UAB School of Public Health and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona.

A two-time Fulbright Fellow (University of Lagos, Nigeria, 2016–2017, and the University of Abuja, Nigeria, 2026-2027), Dr. Ehiri has also been inducted into honor societies, including Phi Beta Delta and Delta Omega. His career exemplifies a sustained commitment to advancing global health through research, policy development, and capacity building, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations in resource-limited settings.