Abstract
BackgroundImproving the quality of maternal health care is critical to reduce mortality and improve women’s experiences. Mistreatment during childbirth in health facilities can be an important barrier for women when considering facility-based childbirth. Therefore, this study attempted to explore the acceptability of mistreatment during childbirth in Myanmar according to women and healthcare providers, and to understand how gender power relations influence mistreatment during childbirth.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted in two townships in Bago Region in September 2015, among women of reproductive age (18–49 years), healthcare providers and facility administrators. Semi-structured discussion guides were used to explore community norms, and experiences and perceptions regarding mistreatment. Coding was conducted using athematic analysis approach and Atlas.ti. Results were interpreted using a gender analysis approach to explore how power dynamics, hierarchies, and gender inequalities influence how women are treated during childbirth.ResultsWomen and providers were mostly unaccepting of different types of mistreatment. However, some provided justification for slapping and shouting at women as encouragement during labour. Different access to resources, such as financial resources, information about pregnancy and childbirth, and support from family members during labor might impact how women are treated. Furthermore, social norms around pregnancy and childbirth and relationships between healthcare providers and women shape women’s experiences. Both informal and formal rules govern different aspects of a woman’s childbirth care, such as when she is allowed to see her family, whether she is considered “obedient”, and what type of behaviors she is expected to have when interacting with providers.ConclusionsThis is the first use of gender analysis to explore how gender dynamics and power relations contribute to women’s experiences of mistreatment during childbirth. Both providers and women expected women to understand and “obey” the rules of the health facility and instructions from providers in order to have better experiences. In this way, deviation from following the rules and instructions puts the providers in a place where perpetrating acts of mistreatment were justifiable under certain conditions. Understanding how gender norms and power structures how women are treated during childbirth is critical to improve women’s experiences.
Highlights
Low and middle-income countries (LMICs) account for 99% of worldwide maternal deaths - approximately 302, 000 in 2015 - most of which can be prevented with access to timely, safe and effective care [1, 2]
Maung et al Reproductive Health (2020) 17:56 (Continued from previous page). This is the first use of gender analysis to explore how gender dynamics and power relations contribute to women’s experiences of mistreatment during childbirth
Global research evidence has shown that women may avoid maternal health services if they perceive them to be of low quality or expect to be treated poorly by healthcare providers
Summary
Low and middle-income countries (LMICs) account for 99% of worldwide maternal deaths - approximately 302, 000 in 2015 - most of which can be prevented with access to timely, safe and effective care [1, 2]. In Myanmar, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has declined from 340 to 250 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births between 2000 and 2017, it is still high in comparison to other Asian countries [3]. Key components to reduce maternal mortality and improve maternal health are to ensure that every woman gives birth in the presence of a skilled birth attendant and encourage facilitybased childbirth. Improving maternal health needs to address economic, cultural and geographical challenges, and promote quality of care [5]. In order to increase the proportion of births with skill birth attendants and facility-based childbirth, both coverage and quality of care provided to women need to be improved [6]. Mistreatment during childbirth in health facilities can be an important barrier for women when considering facility-based childbirth. This study attempted to explore the acceptability of mistreatment during childbirth in Myanmar according to women and healthcare providers, and to understand how gender power relations influence mistreatment during childbirth
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