I read an article titled “Respectful Maternity Care and Maternal Mental Health are Inextricably Linked” in preparation for this activity. As the title suggests, this article focuses on how respectful maternity care affects the mental health of mothers.
According to this article, the relationship between respectful maternity care and maternal mental health remains unclear. Nevertheless, research shows that women with traumatic birth experiences are more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other perinatal mental health problems. Patience Afulani, Assistant Professor at the University of California, San Francisco, explained that “When women are treated in a way that is responsive to their needs, their preferences, and values; when providers are compassionate and respectful and supportive, a woman feels engaged in their care.” Afulani went on to say that by providing mothers with respectful maternity care, they can feel fulfilled, empowered, and appreciated, all of which are beneficial to their emotional well-being.
Respectful maternity care has a “cyclic relationship” with maternal mental health, according to Afulani. Women with pre-existing mental health issues, for example, may be more likely to have a negative birth experience due to provider discrimination. When women have negative birth experiences, they are less likely to seek help for mental health issues in the future.
On the flip side, Mary Ellen Stanton, Senior Maternal Newborn Health Advisor at USAID, emphasized the importance of “caring for the carers” aside from the mother and parents. Burnout has been a significant issue in the healthcare industry, and burnt-out healthcare workers cannot communicate and listen to their patients effectively. This harms the patient-provider relationship and can lead to poorer health outcomes for the patient. Therefore, this reality necessitates the development of interventions that target both mothers and healthcare providers.
The article concludes with a call to pursue further evidence because the evidence supporting claims that respectful maternity care can improve maternal mental health is purely anecdotal. Nonetheless, there is a sense of urgency for stakeholders to recognize how research and advocacy can complement one another and pursue the two activities in tandem.
Reference
Matthews, S. (2021, September 15). Respectful maternity care and maternal mental health are inextricably linked. New Security Beat. Retrieved February 18, 2022, from https://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2021/09/respectful-maternity-care-maternal-mental-health-inextricably-linked/