RESUMO
The improvement of women and children health,along with the growth in health needs,brings forth new challenges to maternal and children health care institutions.The dual demands of quantity and quality in maternal and children health services compel the institutions to improve capabilities under the current conditions,and more importantly,to further clarify the functional orientation which is the key issue for its development.This article is based on the analysis of the historical development and current situation of the maternal and children health care institutions,which sets up the functional orientation according with the rules and characteristics of maternal and children health services.The paper proposed a series of suggestions on its development,such as the health service admission system,appropriate staffing standards and the institution-construction standards.