Inequities in the continuum of maternal care in Mexico: trends before and after COVID-19

Despite efforts to improve maternal care, comprehensive antenatal services reach only 61.8% of women in Mexico. This stresses not only the need for targeted policies to enhance antenatal, delivery, and postnatal coverage at critical stages of care, but also the need to continue strengthening strategies that have rendered good results, and not to eliminate them simply for political-ideological reasons. It is imperative to prioritize reducing existing inequalities within the population, as horizontal inequity reveals significant barriers preventing equitable access to maternal health services among women with similar needs. The most pronounced disparities exist in timely healthcare access, skilled deliveries, and institutional postnatal care, where systemic issues and financial constraints are particularly impactful. Addressing these inequities is essential not only to improve overall maternal health outcomes but also to ensure that all women can benefit from the full spectrum of maternal care, particularly in situations of health crisis, such as pandemics.