Abstract

Amidst advance action to increase positive pregnancy outcomes globally, sufficient focus and considerations have not being given to the human element, specifically the interpersonal relationships between care providers and the childbearing family. The attitude and behaviours of healthcare practitioners are critical to the overall delivery of quality maternity care and the mother's experience during childbirth. Women's experience with maternity care providers can empower and comfort them, or inflict lasting damage and emotional trauma. A lack of respectful care during childbirth is increasingly being recognized as both an indicator of poor quality of care as well as an obstacle to obtaining the infant and maternal health Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) as a key element of broader efforts to provide quality care, which underscore the need to generate evidence on the extent to which disrespect and abusive care is practiced and its effects on mother and child and how it may impact Jamaica achieving the maternal health and gender SDGs.

Authors and Affiliations