The maternal healthcare critical indicator is said to be the provider's respectful behavior during patient's labor. Interaction between the healthcare professional (physician or midwife) during labor influences the outcome of the delivery process. Respectful Maternity Care is proved to affect the quality of care and birth satisfaction of the woman and the newborn. During labor and birth, the healthcare worker provides safe and timely care, nurtures positive reactions between the midwives and women, protects confidentiality, maintains an active role in the labor process, obtains woman’s consent before performing procedures, provides information regarding procedures, respects privacy, and promotes freedom of choice.
Researchers classified healthcare workers’ perception to Respectful Maternity Care into three themes: showing empathy, women-centered care, and protecting rights. In showing empathy, healthcare workers should first establish a good and friendly relationship to the patient. “…communicate in a way they can trust us,” is their primary principle. This is because of their belief that pregnant woman, most of the time, worries about her own and baby’s health status. Moreover, the healthcare worker’s presence is included in ways to show their empathy to laboring women. In women-centered care, unnecessary interventions are omitted and patients participate in decision making. They recognize the woman’s preference and expectations, including in care and interventions to be implemented. In protecting rights, dignity is preserved by preventing mistreatments during labor. Discrimination is also avoided, which further improves the care the patient receives.
Moridi, M., Pazandeh, F., Hajian, S., & Potrata, B. (2020, March 9). Midwives' perspectives of Respectful Maternity Care during childbirth: A qualitative study. PLOS ONE. Retrieved April 1, 2022, from https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229941