Respectful maternity care (RMC) is a human right that aims to improve maternal and infant outcomes in all countries by providing non-discriminatory, harm-free care that respects the dignity, privacy, and confidentiality of the client.
According to Morton & Simkin (2019), despite being a human right, disrespectful maternity care is ubiquitous over the world, and women are severely damaged both physically and emotionally, either directly or indirectly. Maternal and infant mortality are high, and they're linked to poor maternity care, which is more prevalent in countries that can barely meet their basic human needs for shelter, food, health care, and physical safety.
Respectful maternity care benefits the mother and her family in the long run. A mother who has been treated with respect has greater confidence in her ability to be a parent and heals more quickly than one who has been mistreated. As they are deprived of their dignity and suffered tremendous fear, helplessness, and loss of control, the latter may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression, which includes sleeplessness, nightmares, anxiety, inability to care for her baby, herself, and other symptoms.
Preventing physical and mental stress, as well as recognizing and responding to women's demands for information, support, and more specialized therapy following traumatic, complicated births, should be the main priority of maternity care.
Reference:
Morton, C.H. and Simkin, P. (2019). Can respectful maternity care save and improve lives? Birth, 46: 391-395. https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12444