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Add to Preferred SourcesNew evidence from a WHO-led study, published in the Lancet, shows that more than one-third of women in four lower-income countries experienced mistreatment during childbirth in health facilities.
Younger, less-educated women were found to be the most at risk of mistreatment, which can include physical and verbal abuse, stigmatization and discrimination, medical procedures conducted without their consent, use of force during procedures, and abandonment or neglect by health care workers.
The study, carried out in Ghana, Guinea, Myanmar and Nigeria, found that 838 (42%) of 2,016 women experienced physical or verbal abuse, stigma or discrimination. 14% experienced physical abuse – most commonly being slapped, hit or punched.
WHO guidelines promote respectful maternity care for all women, which is care that maintains ‘dignity, privacy and confidentiality, ensures freedom from harm and mistreatment, and enables informed choice and continuous support during labour and childbirth’.
The study observed 2,016 women during labour and childbirth in Ghana, Guinea, Myanmar. Interviews were also conducted with 2,672 women after birth, finding similar levels of mistreatment to the direct observations.
To tackle mistreatment during childbirth, health systems must be held accountable, and sufficient resources must be in place to provide quality, accessible maternal health care and clear policies on women’s rights. Health-care providers also require support and training to ensure that women are treated with compassion and dignity.
Professional associations can also play a crucial role in promoting and supporting respectful care among midwives, obstetricians and other maternity providers, and safeguarding their rights. WHO calls upon these entities to collaborate to ensure that mistreatment during childbirth is consistently identified and reported, and that locally appropriate measures are implemented.
The findings of the study should be used to inform policies and programmes to ensure that all women have positive pregnancy and childbirth experiences, supported by empowered healthcare providers within well-functioning health systems.
Read the download WHO-led study: How women are treated during facility-based childbirth in four countries: a cross-sectional study with labour observations and community-based surveys.
Original source: WHO
Published on 09 October 2019