The Editorial Board of MCHU (Mother and Child Health Update) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. The journal takes all reasonable measures to prevent and address publication malpractice, including plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabrication, falsification, and other forms of unethical publishing behavior.

By submitting a manuscript to MCHU, authors confirm that the work is original, has not been previously published, and is not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. MCHU follows the following ethical guidelines for authors, editors, and reviewers.

Duties of Authors

1. Reporting Standards
Authors must present an accurate and complete account of their research and provide an objective discussion of its significance. Data and results should be reported honestly and transparently. Fabrication, falsification, or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.

2. Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure that their manuscripts are original. Any ideas, data, words, or other materials taken from the work of others must be appropriately cited and, where necessary, quoted. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.

3. Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. Manuscripts that substantially overlap with previously published or submitted works must be appropriately disclosed.

4. Acknowledgment of Sources
Authors must properly acknowledge the contributions and sources that have influenced their research. Relevant publications should be cited accurately and appropriately.

5. Authorship
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, conduct, analysis, or interpretation of the research. All individuals who have made significant contributions should be appropriately recognized as authors, while those who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged where appropriate.

6. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Authors must disclose any financial, personal, professional, or other conflicts of interest that could influence the results, interpretation, or presentation of their work. All sources of financial support for the research must also be disclosed.

7. Corrections and Fundamental Errors in Published Works
If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in a published article, they must promptly notify the Editor or Publisher and cooperate in correcting or, when necessary, retracting the article.

Duties of Editors

1. Publication Decisions
The Editor is responsible for making publication decisions based on the manuscript's academic quality, relevance, originality, and compliance with the journal's policies. Editorial decisions should be made independently and in accordance with applicable ethical and legal requirements.

2. Fair Play
Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely on their academic and intellectual merit, without discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, or political views of the authors.

3. Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts. Information about a manuscript may only be shared with the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, editorial advisers, and the publisher or other authorized parties as appropriate.

4. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Editors must not use unpublished information or materials contained in submitted manuscripts for their own research without the author's explicit written permission. Editors must also disclose and appropriately manage any conflicts of interest related to submitted manuscripts.

Duties of Reviewers

1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Peer review assists editors in making informed publication decisions and provides authors with constructive feedback that can improve the quality and clarity of their manuscripts.

2. Promptness
Reviewers who feel unqualified to evaluate a manuscript or who are unable to complete the review within the specified time should promptly notify the Editor and decline the review assignment.

3. Confidentiality
Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. Reviewers must not share, reproduce, or discuss the manuscript with others unless authorized by the Editor.

4. Standards of Objectivity
Reviews must be conducted objectively and professionally. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate. Reviewers should provide clear, constructive, and well-supported comments to assist authors in improving their manuscripts.

5. Acknowledgment of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. They should also notify the Editor of substantial similarities or overlap between the manuscript under review and other published works of which they are aware.

6. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of privileged information and ideas obtained during the peer-review process and must not use them for personal or professional advantage. Reviewers should decline to review manuscripts when conflicts of interest arise from competitive, collaborative, personal, or institutional relationships with the authors, organizations, or institutions involved in the research.