What role do human rights play in maternity care?
The recent Bohren systematic review on the mistreatment of
women in health facilities provides powerful evidence that
women in countries around the world are particularly susceptible
to human rights abuses during childbirth.1 The review included
studies from both the developing and developed world and
showed that no country can be complacent about the treatment of
women in maternity services. The effect of abuse by professional
caregivers on women is profound. As the White Ribbon Alliance
(WRA) has stated, ‘A woman’s relationship with her maternity providers
is vitally important. Not only are these encounters the vehicle
for essential lifesaving health services, but women’s experiences with
caregivers can empower and comfort or inflict lasting damage and
emotional trauma’.
2 Respectful care is an essential component of
safe care. Caregivers who listen to women, provide them with
accurate information and respect their choices make a fundamental
contribution to a safe maternity service. As the investigations
into failing hospitals in the UK have repeatedly shown, lack
of respect for patient dignity has gone hand in hand with clinical
and systemic failings that have compromised patient safety.