Respectful maternity care in Ukraine during a time of war

Abstract

Maternity care given by obstetricians, midwives, nurses, and other clinicians during one of the most vulnerable periods of pregnancy - labor, and delivery- is complex. It is influenced by physical and medical resources, the training of the medical providers, implicit societal and cultural attitudes towards pregnant people, and other implicit biases based on race, religion, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors. Global strides in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality have stalled over the past several years. An increasing body of evidence has revealed disrespectful and abusive care (D&A) in facility-based childbirth as a barrier to maternal and child health. D&A consists of physical abuse, non-consented care, non-confidential care, nondignified care, discrimination, abandonment of care, and detention in facilities. D&A is sometimes referred to as obstetric violence. Several Latin American countries have developed a legal framework to define and criminalize such violence.