Foundations for social justice-based actions in maternal/infant nursing.

The purpose of this article is to discuss health disparities and inequities and their most significant effects on maternal/infant health. A literature background on the social context of justice and distinct ethical theories is provided. Different ethical approaches to guide interventions that can improve the health of mothers and infants are presented. By adopting an ethical framework of social justice, nurses can better understand and thus influence outcomes and ameliorate health disparities and inequalities.