IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i10p3667-d361872.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Disrespect and Abuse Experienced by Women during Childbirth in Midwife-Led Obstetric Units in Tshwane District, South Africa: A Qualitative Study

Author

Listed:
  • Refilwe Malatji

    (Department of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, P.O. Box 215 Medunsa 0403, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Sphiwe Madiba

    (Department of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, P.O. Box 215 Medunsa 0403, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

Abstract

The disrespect and abuse (D&A) of women during childbirth is common and a great concern in midwifery-led obstetric units (MOUs) in South Africa. This paper used the seven chapters of the Respectful Maternity Care Charter as a framework to explore women’s experiences of care during childbirth and examine the occurrence of D&A during childbirth in MOUs. Five focus group interviews were conducted with postnatal women aged 18 to 45 years selected purposively from MOUs in Tshwane District in South Africa. The discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a thematic approach and NVivo11 computer software. D&A of women was common during labor and childbirth. Verbal abuse in the form of shouting, labeling, judging, and rude remarks was the common form of D&A. Some of the women were abandoned and neglected, which resulted in their giving birth without assistance. Furthermore, the midwives violated their rights and denied them care such as pain relief medication, birth companions during childbirth, and access to ambulance services. Midwives are at the center of the provision of maternity care in MOUs in South Africa. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen interventions to adopt and implement policies that promotes respectful, nonabusive care during childbirth in MOUs.

Suggested Citation

  • Refilwe Malatji & Sphiwe Madiba, 2020. "Disrespect and Abuse Experienced by Women during Childbirth in Midwife-Led Obstetric Units in Tshwane District, South Africa: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-14, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:10:p:3667-:d:361872
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/10/3667/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/10/3667/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mojtaba Vaismoradi & Hannele Turunen & Terese Bondas, 2013. "Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(3), pages 398-405, September.
    2. Meghan A Bohren & Joshua P Vogel & Erin C Hunter & Olha Lutsiv & Suprita K Makh & João Paulo Souza & Carolina Aguiar & Fernando Saraiva Coneglian & Alex Luíz Araújo Diniz & Özge Tunçalp & Dena Javadi , 2015. "The Mistreatment of Women during Childbirth in Health Facilities Globally: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(6), pages 1-32, June.
    3. Jewkes, Rachel & Abrahams, Naeemah & Mvo, Zodumo, 1998. "Why do nurses abuse patients? Reflections from South African obstetric services," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 47(11), pages 1781-1795, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Katarina Swahnberg & Anke Zbikowski & Kumudu Wijewardene & Agneta Josephson & Prembarsha Khadka & Dinesh Jeyakumaran & Udari Mambulage & Jennifer J. Infanti, 2019. "Can Forum Play Contribute to Counteracting Abuse in Health Care? A Pilot Intervention Study in Sri Lanka," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-10, May.
    2. Malambo, Nomthandazo, 2021. "“Not from home”: Cancer screening avoidance and the safety of distance in Eswatini," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    3. Bradley, Susan & McCourt, Christine & Rayment, Juliet & Parmar, Divya, 2016. "Disrespectful intrapartum care during facility-based delivery in sub-Saharan Africa: A qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis of women's perceptions and experiences," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 157-170.
    4. Sapanna Laysiriroj & Walter Wehrmeyer, 2020. "Intergenerational differences of CSR activities in family-run businesses in eastern Thailand," Asian Journal of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Maider Belintxon & Nisha Dogra & Paula McGee & Maria Jesus Pumar‐Mendez & Olga Lopez‐Dicastillo, 2020. "Encounters between children's nurses and culturally diverse parents in primary health care," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(2), pages 273-282, June.
    6. Rena Bakker & Ephrem D. Sheferaw & Tegbar Yigzaw & Jelle Stekelenburg & Marlou L. A. de Kroon, 2020. "Risk Factors for Positive Appraisal of Mistreatment during Childbirth among Ethiopian Midwifery Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-9, April.
    7. Kenzie Latham-Mintus & Brittney Ortiz & Ashley Irby & Jack Turman, 2024. "Supporting the Development of Grassroots Maternal and Childhood Health Leaders through a Public-Health-Informed Training Program," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(4), pages 1-16, April.
    8. Emmanuel Songsore & Michael Buzzelli, 2016. "Ontario’s Experience of Wind Energy Development as Seen through the Lens of Human Health and Environmental Justice," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-18, July.
    9. Desirée Mena-Tudela & Susana Iglesias-Casás & Víctor Manuel González-Chordá & María Jesús Valero-Chillerón & Laura Andreu-Pejó & Águeda Cervera-Gasch, 2021. "Obstetric Violence in Spain (Part III): Healthcare Professionals, Times, and Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-17, March.
    10. Ana Cristina Lindsay & Sherrie F. Wallington & Faith D. Lees & Mary L. Greaney, 2018. "Exploring How the Home Environment Influences Eating and Physical Activity Habits of Low-Income, Latino Children of Predominantly Immigrant Families: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-13, May.
    11. David P. Ashmore & Roselle Thoreau & Corina Kwami & Nicola Christie & Nicholas A. Tyler, 2020. "Using thematic analysis to explore symbolism in transport choice across national cultures," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 607-640, April.
    12. Satu Elo & Maria Kääriäinen & Outi Kanste & Tarja Pölkki & Kati Utriainen & Helvi Kyngäs, 2014. "Qualitative Content Analysis," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(1), pages 21582440145, February.
    13. Borch, Kristian & Munk, Anders K. & Dahlgaard, Vibeke, 2020. "Mapping wind-power controversies on social media: Facebook as a powerful mobilizer of local resistance," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    14. Naci Akdemir & Serkan Yenal, 2021. "How Phishers Exploit the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Content Analysis of COVID-19 Themed Phishing Emails," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, July.
    15. Caro Wolfner & Corilyn Ott & Kalani Upshaw & Angela Stowe & Lisa Schwiebert & Robin Gaines Lanzi, 2023. "Coping Strategies and Help-Seeking Behaviors of College Students and Postdoctoral Fellows with Disabilities or Pre-Existing Conditions during COVID-19," Disabilities, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-25, February.
    16. Christopher Mulwanda & Vincent R. Nyirenda & Ngawo Namukonde, 2024. "Traditional ecological knowledge, perceptions and practices on insect pollinator conservation: A case of the smallholder farmers in Murundu ward of Mufulira mining district of Zambia," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 14(1), pages 24-35, March.
    17. Chiara Oppi & Cristina Campanale & Lino Cinquini, 2021. "Il problema dell?ambiguit? nei sistemi di misurazione della performance nel settore pubblico: un?analisi della letteratura internazionale," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2021(2), pages 11-38.
    18. Oznur Korukcu & Ruveyde Aydın & Jane Conway & Kamile Kukulu, 2018. "Motherhood in the shade of migration: A qualitative study of the experience of Syrian refugee mothers living in Turkey," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(1), pages 46-53, March.
    19. Elke Loots & Josée Leys & Shara Proost & Manuel Morrens & Inge Glazemakers & Tinne Dilles & Bart Van Rompaey, 2022. "Medication Self-Management in Hospitalised Patients with Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder: The Perceptions of Patients and Healthcare Providers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-11, April.
    20. Anna Rogozinska-Pawelczyk, 2022. "The Manager as an Organisation Agent during the Fourth Industrial Revolution," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(2), pages 509-529.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:10:p:3667-:d:361872. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.