The IDEAL approach to establish contemporary maternity care during labor

The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of abusive and disrespectful behavior from healthcare workers toward women during childbirth, to determine the type of abuse with the highest prevalence, and to assess the factors that contributed to the prevalence of abuse and disrespectful behavior.

This is a quantitative observational cross-sectional study that was conducted among mothers who gave birth in a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from September 2019 to mid-March 2020, with a target sample size of 261. Descriptive statistics were described by frequencies and percentages, bivariate statistical analysis was carried out by using Chi-square test.

The overall prevalence of disrespect and abuse (D&A) was 62.5%, the non-consented category was the commonest type in this study. D&A was 2.8 times more prevalent in women whose newborn suffered complications during delivery. Likewise, mothers who delivered in a room with 5 or more caregivers were 2 times more likely to be disrespected than others. Mothers who underwent a natural delivery without episiotomy were 53% less likely to face the risk of being disrespected than others.

This study reveals that the prevalence of disrespect and abuse towards women during labor in the chosen setting was high. The type of delivery, number of caregivers present, and complications that occurred during delivery were significantly associated with disrespect and abuse. Therefore, the authors of this study present an IDEAL approach as a way to upgrade the maternity care standards.