Guidelines on Life-Saving Drugs in Maternal Care

Strengthen nurses' and midwives' capacity to respond to pregnancy-related complications through training in Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC).
Empower these health professionals to perform all BEmONC signal functions, including administration of life-saving drugs, as mandated by Republic Act 10354 (RPRH Act of 2012).
Mandate nurses and midwives to administer drugs such as oxytocin, anticonvulsants, corticosteroids, and antibiotics in emergency situations without available doctors or facilities.

Applies to all heads of health facilities providing birthing services.
Covers registered nurses and midwives providing skilled maternal and newborn care in both public and private sectors.

Every pregnancy should be planned and supported to ensure better health outcomes.
Healthcare providers must deliver the highest quality of care ensuring safety in every delivery.
Services must be gender and culturally sensitive.
Adoption of a three-pronged approach: upgrading birthing centers, training health professionals in BEmONC, and universal access to reproductive health services.
Facility-based delivery should be encouraged.
A system-wide approach ensures broad reach and client autonomy in health decisions.

BEmONC: Life-saving emergency maternal and newborn services including administration of specific parenteral drugs, assisted deliveries, manual placental removal, and neonatal interventions.
Skilled Health Professional: Doctors, nurses, and midwives trained in managing normal and complicated pregnancies and newborn care.
Midwife: A professional trained in pregnancy, labor, puerperium care, normal deliveries, drug administration, and emergency procedures as allowed by training.
Nurse: A registered professional providing preventive, episodic, collaborative, and surgical care under physician supervision.
Life Saving Drugs: Includes oxytocin, magnesium sulfate, antenatal steroids, antibiotics for pregnancy-related complications.
Emergency: Condition defined by a medical professional where immediate danger exists and delay in treatment risks life or permanent disability.

Nurses and midwives must be trained and certified in BEmONC (11-day course for nurses; 11-day or 7-day for midwives).
Only certified professionals are authorized to administer life-saving drugs in emergencies when doctors/facilities are unavailable.
Drug administration must be under physician's order; verbal orders allowed if written orders are inaccessible.
Clinical protocols with detailed drug administration guidelines must be available in geographically isolated or calamity-affected areas.
All administered cases must be immediately referred to facilities capable of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC).
Referral systems must include transport, accompaniment by health workers, patient records, referral notes, and pre-arrival communication.

Training Centers: Manage and conduct BEmONC training for doctors, nurses, midwives; certify competency; ensure course accreditation.
Local Government Units: Ensure birthing center compliance, drug availability, staff training facilitation, policy implementation, public-private cooperation, emergency transport availability, and quality monitoring.
Department of Health: Supervise BEmONC training programs, update protocols, monitor implementation, expand training centers, and fund training.

Cooperative monitoring by Provincial, City Health Offices, and DOH Regional Offices.
Assessment of BEmONC teams and individual practitioners in public and private sectors to ensure compliance and quality.