Implementing maternal and newborn health quality of care standards in healthcare facilities to improve the adoption of respectful maternity care in Bangladesh, Ghana and Tanzania
A controlled before and after study
Bibliographic Data
INTRODUCTION: Many women worldwide cannot access respectful maternity care (RMC). We assessed the effect of implementing maternal and newborn health (MNH) quality of care standards on RMC measures. METHODS: We used a facility-based controlled before and after design in 43 healthcare facilities in Bangladesh, Ghana and Tanzania. Interviews with women and health workers and observations of labour and childbirth were used for data collection. We estimated difference-in-differences to compare changes in RMC measures over time between groups. RESULTS: 1827 women and 818 health workers were interviewed, and 1512 observations were performed. In Bangladesh, MNH quality of care standards reduced physical abuse (DiD -5.2;-9.0 to -1.4). The standards increased RMC training (DiD 59.0; 33.4 to 84.6) and the availability of policies and procedures for both addressing patient concerns (DiD 46.0; 4.7 to 87.4) and identifying/reporting abuse (DiD 45.9; 19.9 to 71.8). The control facilities showed greater improvements in communicating the delivery plan (DiD -33.8; -62.9 to -4.6). Other measures improved in both groups, except for satisfaction with hygiene. In Ghana, the intervention improved women's experiences. Providers allowed women to ask questions and express concerns (DiD 37.5; 5.9 to 69.0), considered concerns (DiD 14.9; 4.9 to 24.9), reduced verbal abuse (DiD -8.0; -12.1 to -3.8) and physical abuse (DiD -5.2; -11.4 to -0.9). More women reported they would choose the facility for another delivery (DiD 17.5; 5.5 to 29.4). In Tanzania, women in the intervention facilities reported improvements in privacy (DiD 24.2; 0.2 to 48.3). No other significant differences were observed due to improvements in both groups. CONCLUSION: Institutionalising care standards and creating an enabling environment for quality MNH care is feasible in low and middle-income countries and may facilitate the adoption of RMC
Birth attendant · Childbirth · Economic growth · Environmental health · Family medicine · Health care · Health facility · Health services · Hygiene · Maternal health · Population · Pregnancy · Socioeconomics · Tanzania · COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction · Global Maternal and Child Health · Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions · Medicine · Nursing
Quality of care for pregnant women and newborns—the WHO vision
SQUIRE 2.0 ( Standards for QUality Improvement Reporting Excellence)
Facilitators and barriers to facility-based delivery in low- and middle-income countries
The Mistreatment of Women during Childbirth in Health Facilities Globally
Institutionalising maternal and newborn quality-of-care standards in Bangladesh, Ghana and Tanzania
Beyond measurement
Eye of the beholder? Observation versus self-report in the measurement of disrespect and abuse during facility-based childbirth
| Citations per year | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |