A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that up to 20% of women have faced mistreatment during maternity care. The CDC’s “Vital Signs” report derives this statistic from a survey conducted by Porter Novelli View Moms, which collected responses from 2,402 women regarding the quality of care they received during labor and delivery.
The most commonly reported forms of mistreatment mentioned in the report include: not receiving help when requested, being shouted at or scolded, a lack of privacy protection, and being threatened with withheld treatment or forced to accept unwanted treatment.
The report also highlights that discrimination is prevalent in maternity care, affecting approximately 29% of women. Factors such as age, weight, and income were cited as common reasons for discrimination. The CDC notes that among the women who reported facing discrimination, 40% were Black, 39% were multiracial, and 37% were Hispanic.
Furthermore, the report reveals that about 45% of women choose not to voice their concerns or ask questions during maternity care. Reasons for this hesitation include feeling embarrassed, lacking confidence in their own knowledge, perceiving their healthcare provider as rushed, and not wanting to be seen as difficult.
To address these issues, CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, M.D., based in Atlanta, Georgia, emphasizes the need for the healthcare community to deliver equitable and respectful care to women during pregnancy and delivery. Houry suggests that health systems, hospitals, and providers can take steps to improve care and reduce the risk of pregnancy-related complications and death for women.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra echoes the sentiment, stating that every mother deserves dignity and respect, and that bias, stigma, and mistreatment have no place in healthcare systems.
The CDC calls for healthcare systems to maintain a diverse workforce, recognize unconscious bias and stigma, and prioritize providing respectful maternity care to all women. They have also launched the “Hear Her” campaign to raise awareness about these issues and help medical providers and pregnant and postpartum women identify urgent maternal warning signs.
The report further highlights disparities based on insurance status, indicating that women without insurance or with public insurance reported more mistreatment during maternity care compared to those with private insurance.
It is essential for the healthcare community to address these concerns and ensure that all women receive equitable and respectful care during pregnancy and delivery.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
