Striving for Respectful Maternity Care Everywhere

• Published in: Maternal and child health journal Vol. 20; no. 9; pp. 1769 - 1773
• Main Authors: Molina, Rose L., Patel, Suha J., Scott, Jennifer, Schantz-Dunn, Julianna, Nour, Nawal M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.09.2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis; Attitude of Health Personnel; Births; Care and treatment; Cesarean section; Childbirth & labor; Commentary; Curricula; Delivery (Childbirth); Delivery, Obstetric - standards; Female; Gynecology; Health care industry; Health Facilities; Hospitals; Humans; Immigrants; Kenya; Maternal & child health; Maternal and Child Health; Maternal child nursing; Maternal health services; Maternal Health Services - standards; Maternal mortality; Medical personnel; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mexico; Midwifery education; Obstetrics; Patient Satisfaction; Patients; Pediatrics; Physical restraints; Population Economics; Practice; Prenatal care; Public Health; Quality Improvement; Quality of Health Care; Sociology; Sustainable development; Systematic review; Training; United States; Violence; Women's Rights; Womens health; Kenya; United States > US; Mexico; Disrespect and abuse; Respectful maternity care; Childbirth; Quality of care
• ISSN: 1092-7875; 1573-6628
• DOI: 10.1007/s10995-016-2004-2

Purpose The mistreatment of women during childbirth in health facilities is a growing area of research and public attention. Description In many countries, disrespect and abuse from maternal health providers discourage women from seeking childbirth with a skilled birth attendant, which can lead to poor maternal and neonatal outcomes. This commentary highlights examples from three countries—Kenya, Mexico and the United States—and presents different forms of mistreatment during childbirth, which range from physical abuse to non-consented care to discriminatory practices. Assessment Building on the momentum from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, and the Global and Maternal Neonatal Health Conference, the global community has placed respectful maternity care at the forefront of the maternal and neonatal health agenda. Conclusion Research efforts must focus on context-specific patient satisfaction during childbirth to identify areas for quality improvement.