Selection Criteria:

1. Sponsorship. The sponsorship of the site should be easily identified and be a credible source such as a government agency (.gov), educational institution (.edu), or organization (.org).
   
2. Currency. The site should be updated frequently with the date of the update clearly posted.
   
3. Factual information. Information should be factual and verifiable. If the information represents an opinion, the source should be easily identified.
   
4. Audience. There should be a clear statement of the intended audience (consumer, medical professional).
   
5. Ease of Use. The site should be easy to navigate and be logically organized.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please send an email message to hshsl@umaryland.edu.

Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland Maternal and Child Health Resources on the Web (in alphabetical order)

• CAPHIS
  (http://caphis.mlanet.org/consumer/index.html)
  
  The Medical Library Association's Consumer and Patient Health Information Section serves as a directory for health-related web sites. It is divided into broad categories on general, women's, men's, parenting and kids, and seniors health, specific health problems, and drug information resources.
  
  
• Center for Infant & Child Loss
  (http://www.infantandchildloss.org)
  
  The Center for Infant & Child Loss, housed in University of Maryland Baltimore's School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral and Developmental Pediatrics, works with Maryland families facing the sudden unexpected death of their infant or child. This web site is designed to help the user find information on Center services and training opportunities, SIDS, grief and sudden death, risk reduction, and links to bereavement and information resources. The Center's newsletter includes reports on current research, a calendar of events, and opportunities for involvement.
  
  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  (http://www.cdc.gov)

  The CDC, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, serves as "the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States." The site links to resources about diseases, conditions and other special topics arranged under Health Topics A-Z. For information on maternal and child health, try searching under Immunization or Vaccination, Infants and Children, Maternal and Infant Health, Pregnancy, or Women's Health. Information is also available in Spanish.
  

• Community and Family Health Administrations - Center for Maternal and Child Health
  (http://www.fha.state.md.us/mch/)
  
  Part of Maryland's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the goal of the Center is to improve the health of women, children, and families in Maryland. Link to information on reproductive health, family planning, preconception health, prenatal care and more. Information is also available in Spanish.
  
  
• Directories
  
  The Bradley Method (fill out form for online directory), Doulas of North America, The American College of Nurse Midwives, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, The National Association of Childbearing Centers (click on Find a Birth Center).
  
  
• HardinMD
  (http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/md)
  
  Put together by the University of Iowa's Hardin Library for Health Sciences, HardinMD is a directory of health web sites arranged by topic. Maternal and child health links can be found under the Children's Health, Pediatrics, Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Pregnancy sections.
  
  
• Healthfinder
  (http://www.healthfinder.gov)
  
  Developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in collaboration with other Federal agencies, this web site is a gateway to consumer health information. It provides access to selected online publications, clearinghouses, databases, web sites, and support and self-help groups. It also links to government agencies and not-for-profit organizations that produce reliable information for the public. Searching may be done by either entering search terms in a text box or by selecting a link from within one of the major sections including Health Library, Just for You, Health Care, or Directory of Health Organizations. Information is also available in Spanish.
  
  
• March of Dimes
  (http://www.modimes.org)
  
  The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency founded in 1938 by President Roosevelt to find a cure for polio. For the last 44 years, the mission of the March of Dimes has been to improve the health of children by preventing birth defects and infant mortality through community services, advocacy, research and education. The site contains a Health Library with medical news, a resource center, fact sheets, statistics, an online guide to a healthy pregnancy, and a product catalog of other resources produced by the March of Dimes. Information on research, programs, issues, and volunteer opportunities with the March of Dimes is also included.
  

• Maternal and Child Health Bureau
  (http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov)
  
  The Maternal and Child Health Bureau is part of the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Children's Bureau was established in 1912. In 1935, the U.S. Congress enacted Title V of the Social Security Act which authorized the Maternal and Child Health Services programs and provided a foundation and structure for assuring the health of American mothers and children. Look for information on programs administered by the bureau, statistical data, resources & publications (search for titles or topics of publications in the box on the right), and links to other web sites.

• Maternity Wise
  (http://www.maternitywise.org/home.html)
  
  Maternity Wise is the Maternity Center Association's (MCA) national program to promote evidence-based maternity care. The site includes sections on Making Informed Decisions on maternity care; defining Evidence-Based Care; Maternity Questions for comparing types of caregivers, birth settings and labor support; interview questions for doctors, midwives, hospitals, birth centers, home birth caregivers or labor support specialists (doulas) under Tools/Questions to Ask; and, MCA's The Rights of Childbearing Women document. A Maternity Stages section is in progress.
  

• MEDLINEplus - Health Topics
  (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthtopics.html)
  
  Provided by the National Library of Medicine, this web site is an excellent consumer health resource. There are general overviews and information for specific conditions and diseases. Much of the information on this web site has been obtained from federal agencies and professional organizations. For topics on maternal and child health, consider searching under Pregnancy and Reproduction, Child and Teen Health, Women's Health or Social/Family Issues.

• Merck Manual of Medical Information - Home Edition
  (http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/contents.htm)
  
  The Merck Manual of Medical Information - Home Edition is a general medical textbook divided into sections by topic, then subdivided into chapters on specific diseases or conditions. Look for information on maternal and child health care in the Women's Health Issues section.
  
  
• National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH)
  (http://www.ncemch.org)
  
  The National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health is a research center of Georgetown University's Public Policy Institute. For specific topics, review the A to Z List of Topics. It includes annotated bibliographies (listings of publications from federal and state agencies and organizations), knowledge paths (links to web sites, electronic publications, databases, discussion groups, and citations for journal articles and other print resources), organization lists (contact information and brief descriptions of each organization), NCEMCH publications, and links to related web sites.
  
  
• National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC)
  (http://www.4woman.gov)
  
  The National Women's Health Information Center is a service of the Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NWHIC provides a gateway to information on women's health from federal agencies and the private sector. Highlights include the Healthy Women Today newsletter, FAQs on women's health, and an alphabetic listing of topics. The Healthy Pregnancy section offers facts on the stages of pregnancy, childbirth, and after the baby is born; a pregnancy quiz; a glossary; and a due date and ovulation calculator. Information is also available in Spanish.
  
  
• National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC)
  (http://www.healthywomen.org)
  
  This nonprofit organization aims to help women educate themselves on health topics, to make informed decisions about their health, and to encourage women to embrace healthy lifestyles to promote wellness and prevent disease. Topically-arranged, the Library allows users to browse books, web sites, and other materials; the Health Center provides information on health issues; the News section lets users view current and archived news articles; and the Health Services section contains a directory of women-friendly health services and organizations to help meet health needs.
  
  
• NOAH (New York Online Access to Health)
  (http://www.noah-health.org)
  
  A bilingual health information site in both English and Spanish supported by the City University of New York, the Metropolitan New York Library Council, the New York Academy of Medicine, and the New York Public Library. From the Health Topics list, choose Women's Health, Pregnancy, Child Health or Vaccines and Vaccinations for links to maternal and child health topics.
  
  
• Planned Parenthood
  (http://www.plannedparenthood.org)
  
  Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc., is a voluntary reproductive health care organization. Look for information on maternal and child health under the Health Info and Research & Media sections. Also includes a directory of Planned Parenthood centers. Information is also available in Spanish.