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Yalley AA, Jarašiūnaitė-Fedosejeva G, Kömürcü-Akik B, de Abreu L. Addressing obstetric violence: a scoping review of interventions in healthcare and their impact on maternal care quality. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1388858. [PMID: 38979044 PMCID: PMC11228167 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1388858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The mistreatment and abuse of women during childbirth have been recognized as a major global health challenge, impeding facility-based delivery and contributing to the high maternal mortalities globally. The World Health Organization has specifically called for interventions to deal with obstetric violence. This scoping review consolidates the existing literature on interventions aimed at reducing obstetric violence and synthesizes existing knowledge on their impact in promoting respectful maternity care. Methodology Thirteen electronic databases were searched for relevant articles from January 2001 to March 2023. A total of 863 records were identified, and 72 full-text articles were retrieved for further screening. The review includes 16 studies, particularly from low- and middle-income countries, with interventions implemented at medical facilities and involving both women and healthcare providers. Eight of the studies were quantitative, three were qualitative and five used a mixed-methods approach. Findings The results reveal a promising trend in reducing obstetric violence through various interventions. Ten different types of interventions were identified, highlighting strategies to improve the quality of maternity care and enhance patient-centered care. Improved patient-provider communication skills, increased privacy measures, and reduced abuse and mistreatment emerged as common themes. Enhanced communication skills, including open discussions and the right to be informed, were crucial in reducing obstetric violence. Privacy measures, such as separate rooms, curtains, and birth companions effectively decreased incidents of non-confidential care. General abuse and mistreatment, including physical abuse and neglect, were also reduced, leading to improved perceptions of respectful care during childbirth. Conclusion Overall, the interventions had a favorable impact on obstetric violence reduction and women's childbirth experiences. However, despite promising results, obstetric violence remains prevalent worldwide, necessitating more efforts to implement effective interventions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first scoping review on obstetric violence interventions, providing a comprehensive overview of the state of the art. We suggest that further research is needed to explore new interventions, particularly gender-sensitive interventions, to contribute to a growing body of knowledge on the prevention of obstetric violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abena Asefuaba Yalley
- Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | | | - Liliana de Abreu
- Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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Daly D, Sedlicka N, Švanderlíková K, Kovařčíková PA, Wilhelmová R, Begley C. An online survey of women's views of respectful and disrespectful pregnancy and early labour care in the Czech Republic. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2024; 24:370. [PMID: 38750412 PMCID: PMC11097455 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06448-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To ascertain and explore the views of women and their partners, giving birth in the Czech Republic, of the level of respectful or disrespectful care provided during pregnancy and early labour. DESIGN Ethical approval was granted for a descriptive, online anonymous survey of 65 questions, with quantitative and qualitative responses. SETTING The Czech Republic.The survey was completed by 8,767 women and 69 partners in 2018. MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to present results. The majority of women were aged 26-35 years. Most had birthed in one of 93 hospitals, with 1.5% home births. Almost 40% never had an abdominal examination.in pregnancy. Quantitative data analysis revealed that less than half were given information on place of birth, or how to keep labour normal or non-interventionist. Almost 60% did not get information on positions for birth. Most (68%) commenced labour naturally, 25% had labour induced, 40% of them before term, and 7% had an elective caesarean section; 55% stated they had not been given any choice in the decision. Over half of those who had a membrane sweep said permission had not been sought. Half (54%) only had 'checking' visits from the midwife in labour. KEY CONCLUSIONS Findings reveal a lack of information-giving, discussion and shared decision-making from healthcare professionals during pregnancy and early labour. Some practices were non-evidenced-based, and interventions were sometimes made without consent. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE The examples of disrespectful care described in this study caused women distress during childbirth, which may result in an increased fear of childbirth or an increase in free-birthing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deirdre Daly
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, 24 D'Olier Street, Dublin, DO2 T283, Ireland.
| | - Natalie Sedlicka
- Association for Birth Houses & Centers (APODAC), Týnská ulička 1064/6, , Prague 1, 11000, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Švanderlíková
- Association for Birth Houses & Centers (APODAC), Týnská ulička 1064/6, , Prague 1, 11000, Czech Republic
| | - PetraAnn Ann Kovařčíková
- Association for Birth Houses & Centers (APODAC), Týnská ulička 1064/6, , Prague 1, 11000, Czech Republic
| | - Radka Wilhelmová
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Cecily Begley
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, 24 D'Olier Street, Dublin, DO2 T283, Ireland
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Bohren MA, Iyer A, Barros AJ, Williams CR, Hazfiarini A, Arroyave L, Filippi V, Chamberlain C, Kabakian-Khasholian T, Mayra K, Gill R, Vogel JP, Chou D, George AS, Oladapo OT. Towards a better tomorrow: addressing intersectional gender power relations to eradicate inequities in maternal health. EClinicalMedicine 2024; 67:102180. [PMID: 38314054 PMCID: PMC10837533 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
An equity lens to maternal health has typically focused on assessing the differences in coverage and use of healthcare services and critical interventions. While this approach is important, we argue that healthcare experiences, dignity, rights, justice, and well-being are fundamental components of high quality and person-centred maternal healthcare that must also be considered. Looking at differences across one dimension alone does not reflect how fundamental drivers of maternal health inequities-including racism, ethnic or caste-based discrimination, and gendered power relations-operate. In this paper, we describe how using an intersectionality approach to maternal health can illuminate how power and privilege (and conversely oppression and exclusion) intersect and drive inequities. We present an intersectionality-informed analysis on antenatal care quality to illustrate the advantages of this approach, and what is lost in its absence. We reviewed and mapped equity-informed interventions in maternal health to existing literature to identify opportunities for improvement and areas for innovation. The gaps and opportunities identified were then synthesised to propose recommendations on how to apply an intersectionality lens to maternal health research, programmes, and policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan A. Bohren
- Gender and Women's Health Unit, Nossal Institute for Global Health, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Aditi Iyer
- Ramalingaswami Centre on Equity & Social Determinants of Health, Public Health Foundation of India, Bangalore, India
| | - Aluisio J.D. Barros
- International Center for Equity in Health, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Caitlin R. Williams
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Mother and Child Health, Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS-Argentina), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alya Hazfiarini
- Gender and Women's Health Unit, Nossal Institute for Global Health, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Luisa Arroyave
- International Center for Equity in Health, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Veronique Filippi
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Chamberlain
- Indigenous Health Equity Unit, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tamar Kabakian-Khasholian
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Kaveri Mayra
- Birth Place Lab, Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Roopan Gill
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Vitala Global Foundation, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Joshua P. Vogel
- Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Doris Chou
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Asha S. George
- School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville, Western Cape, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council, South Africa
| | - Olufemi T. Oladapo
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Martínez-Galiano JM, Rodríguez-Almagro J, Rubio-Álvarez A, Ortiz-Esquinas I, Ballesta-Castillejos A, Hernández-Martínez A. Obstetric Violence from a Midwife Perspective. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4930. [PMID: 36981838 PMCID: PMC10049399 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20064930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This study examines and determines the prevalence of obstetric violence (OV) as perceived by midwives, as well as their knowledge of it and the professional factors that could be associated with the perception of OV. A cross-sectional study was conducted of 325 midwives in 2021 in Spain. Almost all (92.6%, 301) the midwives knew the term OV, but 74.8% (214) did not believe OV to be the same as malpractice. Moreover, 56.9% (185) stated they had rarely observed OV, and 26.5% (86) regularly observed OV. Most midwives consider physical aggression to be OV, in comparison, not providing information to women was only considered unacceptable treatment. The clinical practice considered the most grave within the context of OV was an instrumental birth or cesarean section without clinical justification. In addition, 97.5% (317) believed that raising awareness on the subject is one of the fundamental points to reducing this problem. Certain factors, such as less work experience, female gender, attendance at home births, and previous training in OV, were associated with an increased perception of situations as OV (p < 0.005). A high percentage of midwives perceived specific clinical practices (e.g., indicate cesarean section without clinical justification or perform the Kristeller maneuver) as OV, and certain characteristics of the professional profile, such as the professional experience or the sex of the midwife, were associated with an increased perception of OV. Most midwives knew the term OV but did not consider that it could pertain to some behaviors included in the international definitions of OV, such as the lack of information provided to a woman or the non-identification of the midwife, among others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Miguel Martínez-Galiano
- Nursing Department, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Julián Rodríguez-Almagro
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Ciudad Real Faculty of Nursing, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | | | | | - Ana Ballesta-Castillejos
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Albacete Faculty of Nursing, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain
| | - Antonio Hernández-Martínez
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Ciudad Real Faculty of Nursing, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
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Yalley AA, Abioye D, Appiah SCY, Hoeffler A. Abuse and humiliation in the delivery room: Prevalence and associated factors of obstetric violence in Ghana. Front Public Health 2023; 11:988961. [PMID: 36860379 PMCID: PMC9968731 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.988961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Abuse and mistreatment of women during childbirth is a major barrier to facility-based delivery, putting women at risk of avoidable complications, trauma and negative health outcomes including death. We study the prevalence of obstetric violence (OV) and its associated factors in the Ashanti and Western Regions of Ghana. Methodology A facility-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in eight public health facilities from September to December 2021. Specifically, close-ended questionnaires were administered to 1,854 women, aged 15-45 who gave birth in the health facilities. The data collected include the sociodemographic attributes of women, their obstetric history and experiences of OV based on the seven typologies according to the categorization by Bowser and Hills. Findings We find that about two in every three women (65.3%) experience OV. The most common form of OV is non-confidential care (35.8%), followed by abandoned care (33.4%), non-dignified care (28.5%) and physical abuse (27.4%). Furthermore, 7.7% of women were detained in health facilities for their inability to pay their bills, 7.5% received non-consented care while 11.0% reported discriminated care. A test for associated factors of OV yielded few results. Single women (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.2) and women who reported birth complications (OR 3.2, 95% CI 2.4-4.3) were more likely to experience OV compared with married women and women who had no birth complications. In addition, teenage mothers (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.5-4.5) were more likely to experience physical abuse compared to older mothers. Rural vs. urban location, employment status, gender of birth attendant, type of delivery, time of delivery, the ethnicity of the mothers and their social class were all not statistically significant. Conclusion The prevalence of OV in the Ashanti and Western Regions was high and only few variables were strongly associated with OV, suggesting that all women are at risk of abuse. Interventions should aim at promoting alternative birth strategies devoid of violence and changing the organizational culture of violence embedded in the obstetric care in Ghana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abena Asefuaba Yalley
- Department of Politics, Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany,Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany,*Correspondence: Abena Asefuaba Yalley ✉
| | - Dare Abioye
- Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Anke Hoeffler
- Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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“We Beat Them to Help Them Push”: Midwives’ Perceptions on Obstetric Violence in the Ashante and Western Regions of Ghana. WOMEN 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/women3010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Obstetric violence has been recognized as a major impediment to facility-based delivery, increasing the risk of preventable complications and maternal mortality. In Ghana, studies on women’s birth experiences reveal enormous and brutal acts of violence during delivery; however, inquiries into why midwives abuse women have not been extensively studied. This study explored the perspectives of midwives on the drivers of obstetric violence in the Western and Ashante Regions of Ghana. A qualitative study was conducted involving 30 in-depth interviews with midwives in eight health facilities. The data were analyzed thematically using NVivo 12. The results of the study reveal a normalization of violence in the delivery room and the intensity of violence is heightened during the second stage of labor. Midwives reported perpetrating or witnessing physical violence, abandonment of women, stigmatization of HIV women, verbal abuses such as shouting, and the detention of women in the health facilities. Midwives abuse women as a result of the pressures of the midwifery profession, poor maternal efforts of women, disrespect of midwives, women’s disobedience, and uncooperative attitudes. The culture of acceptability of obstetric violence is a major driver, contributing to its normalization. Midwives do not consider obstetric violence as abuse, but rather, as a delivery strategy which aids a successful delivery. It is therefore justified and viewed as a necessary part of the delivery process. There is a critical need for retraining midwives on alternative birthing strategies devoid of violence.
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