A concrete and useful way to create an action plan for improving the quality of maternity care in the United States is to start with a view of the desired result, a common definition and a shared vision for a high-quality, high-value maternity care system. In this paper, we present a long-term vision for the future of maternity care in the United States. We present overarching values and principles and specific attributes of a high-performing maternity care system. We put forth the "2020 Vision for a High-Quality, High-Value Maternity Care System" to serve as a positive starting place for a fruitful collaborative process to develop specific action steps for broad-based maternity care system improvement.
Copyright 2010 Jacobs Institute of Women