Respectful Maternity Care during labour and postpartum in a tertiary hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Respectful maternity care (RMC) is a fundamental human right for women globally. Providing respectful care during labor and postpartum is crucial for the health and well-being of both mothers and newborns. The interactions between healthcare providers and women play a significant role in shaping their future healthcare decisions. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the prevalence of RMC during labor and postpartum from the patient's perspective at a tertiary care center.

We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study at a tertiary center from February 20, 2023, to September 30, 2023. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee of the same institution. A total of 217 patients were included using consecutive sampling techniques. Data were collected through interviews using a structured questionnaire on respectful maternity care. The point estimate was calculated with a 95% Confidence Interval.

The prevalence of overall respectful maternity care (RMC) score was 81%. The score for right to confidentiality and privacy during labor was 91.7%, treated with dignity and respect was 90.87%, received equitable care free of discrimination was 86.41%, protection from physical harm and ill treatment was 84.02%, while protection of right to information/informed consent and choice'preference was 72.55%.

This study demonstrated a high prevalence of respectful maternity care, with most patients experiencing protection of confidentiality, dignity, equitable treatment, safety, and informed consent, indicating effective implementation of RMC practices at our tertiary care center.\ Keywords: labour; maternity care; postpartum; prevalence; tertiary hospital.