Matern Child Health J. 2025 Jul 01.
The Maternal and Child Health Journal, a preeminent peer-reviewed scientific and practice journal of the MCH field, was established 25 years ago to showcase research and practice in MCH and to provide a forum that enhances and reflects our ever-expanding field. The three surviving editors reflect on the history, evolution, and future of the MCH Journal-with special emphasis on the MCH Journal's origins, and on the lived experience of the editors. APHA's MCH section formed a committee in Nov 1991 to explore creation of a journal. This effort culminated in March 1997 with the publication of the first issue of the MCH Journal, which has since published over 240 subsequent issues. The MCH Journal evolved from a small quarterly print journal to a large monthly, abstracted, print and digital Journal that publishes over 200 + articles and receives almost 1,000,000 downloads annually. Milt Kotelchuck (1997-2003) helped create and sustain the culture of the Journal in its earliest most precarious stage of development, secured Medline abstraction and digital publication, and fostered MCH Epidemiology and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) initiatives. Greg Alexander and Donna Petersen (2004-2012) expanded the frequency and size of the Journal, implemented its Editorial Manager System, expanded author and reviewer writing capacity and quality, strengthened ties with MCH practitioners, and increased the MCH Journal's use as a pedagogic tool. Tim Dye (2013-present) continued expanding and globalizing the Journal introducing a monthly format; broadened the scope of disciplines and types of articles published; and-through aligning publication policies-uplifted voices of communities traditionally marginalized by academic presses. The MCH Journal continues to provide a critical platform for the publication of MCH research, practice, policy, and professional development, helping to define, strengthen, and forcefully advocate for our MCH field and advance MCH population health, social justice, and equity.
Keywords: Academic publishing; Child health; Children with special needs; Community; Disability; History; MCH; MCH Journal; Policy; Population health; Practice; Pregnancy; Public health; Science; Scientific writing; Systems; Women’s health