Abstract
BackgroundDisrespectful maternity care is a key impediment to achieving a good quality care. Identifying predicting factors can be used in mitigating any potential risk in for disrespect and abuse in maternity care. The present study was conducted to determine prevalence and predictors of perceived disrespectful maternity care among Iranian women.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in three public and three private hospitals in the city of Tabriz involving 334 postpartum women. Tools included socio-demographic, pregnancy, labour and birth characteristics questionnaires, and disrespect and abuse scales. Data were collected in 6 to 18 h after birth. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine predictors of disrespectful maternity care.ResultsA majority of the women (253; 75.7%) reported one or several types of perceived disrespectful maternity care. The most frequent types related to not allowing women to choose labour positions (142; 44.3%) and not allowing them to move during labour (148; 42.5%). Nighttime childbirth (aOR 3.07; 95% CI 1.61 to 5.88) increased the likelihood of perceived disrespectful maternity care. However, presence of spouses to accompany their wives in waiting rooms (aOR 0.32; 95% CI 0.11 to 0.88), the attendance of private physicians (aOR 0.05; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.12), and midwives (aOR 0.22; 95% CI 0.11 to 0.45) decreased the likelihood of perceived disrespectful maternity care.ConclusionThe results showed high levels of perceived disrespectful maternity care in postpartum women. Therefore, appropriate interventions, such as encouraging spouses’ presence, increasing the number of night shift staff, and training obstetric residents and midwives by holding ethics classes, with particular emphasis on empathy with patients.
Highlights
Disrespectful maternity care is a key impediment to achieving a good quality care
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a statement on immediate attention for disrespect and abuse (D&A) during childbirth, which emphasized the importance of respectful maternity care (RMC) and women’s rights during pregnancy and childbirth [1]
Disrespectful care towards women during labour and childbirth has increased over the recent decade [6] and studies reported different prevalence of D&A in different settings such as 20% in Kenya [7] and 98% in Nigeria [8]
Summary
Disrespectful maternity care is a key impediment to achieving a good quality care. Identifying predicting factors can be used in mitigating any potential risk in for disrespect and abuse in maternity care. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a statement on immediate attention for disrespect and abuse (D&A) during childbirth, which emphasized the importance of respectful maternity care (RMC) and women’s rights during pregnancy and childbirth [1]. Disrespectful care towards women during labour and childbirth has increased over the recent decade [6] and studies reported different prevalence of D&A in different settings such as 20% in Kenya [7] and 98% in Nigeria [8]. A cross-sectional study in five southern and eastern African countries reported abandoning and neglecting pregnant women during childbirth as the most common type of D&A [10]. A study in Kenya and Nigeria reported non-dignified and nonconsensual care, and physical abuse as the most common types of D&A [7, 8]
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