Supportive Care in Respectful Maternity Care: A Cross-Sectional Quantitative Study of Postnatal Mothers in Osun State, Nigeria
Keywords:
Respectful maternity care, Secondary health facilities, Supportive care, Postnatal mothersAbstract
Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) is recognized globally as a fundamental human right and an essential component of quality maternal health services. It encompasses supportive care during childbirth ensuring that women not only survive pregnancy and delivery but also experience care that is compassionate, respectful, and empowering. Despite sustained global advocacy, supportive care remains inadequately prioritized in many low- and middle-income countries. The study assessed supportive care as a domain of RMC among postnatal mothers in selected secondary health facilities in Osun State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was employed. Three hundred and ninety (390) postnatal mothers were selected using proportional allocation. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the Person-Centred Maternity Care (PCMC) scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics (Chi-square tests) at a significant level of 0.05. The findings showed 382 respondents participated in the study. Less than half (173; 45.3%) reported good supportive care. Age, ethnicity, marital status, educational level, and employment status were significantly associated with supportive care (p<0.05). None of the medical history were significantly associated with supportive care. The study concluded that supportive care was inconsistently experienced among postnatal mothers in Osun State. This was influenced by socio- demographic characteristics rather than by mothers' medical history. Interventions such as antenatal education should incorporate patient rights training to equip all women to recognise and demand respectful supportive care and patient- centered practices to strengthen supportive care delivery in Nigerian health facilities.
References
1. Sikdar S, Saha R, Naskar S, Chakrabarti S, Chakrabarti S, Basu M. Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) during Facility-based Childbirth: A Cross-Sectional Study among Postnatal Mothers in a Tertiary Health Care Facility in Kolkata. Med J DY Patil Univ. 2024;17(Suppl 1):S76-S83.
2. Koteswaramma D. Respectful maternity care: a holistic approach in promoting positive birth experience. Asian J Nurs Educ Res. 2023;13(4):296-300.
3. Dash M. Knowledge of Postnatal Mothers Regarding Respectful Maternity Care Admitted in a Selected Hospital, Odisha. EC Gynaecology. 2024;13:01-05.
4. Abebe AH, Mmusi-Phetoe R. Respectful maternity care in health centers of Addis Ababa city: a mixed method study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022;22(1):792.
5. World Health Organization. Compendium on Respectful Maternal and Newborn Care. Geneva: WHO; 2025.
6. Fentie TA, Solomon AA, Enyew MM, Beyene MM, Melese AK, Belay AE, et al. Respectful maternity care and associated factors among mothers in Debre Tabor town, Northwest Ethiopia: A mixed-methods study. Front Glob Womens Health. 2025;6:1513906.
7. Mwasha N, Namusoke F, Kizza I. Sociodemographic determinants of respectful maternity care in Uganda: A cross-sectional study. Afr Health Sci. 2023;23(2):112-120.
8. Rajkumari B, Singh S, Devi T. Prevalence of abuse during childbirth in India. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2021;47(3):876-884.
9. Adugna A, Kindie K, Abebe GF. Respectful maternity care and associated factors among mothers who gave birth in three hospitals of Southwest Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study. Front Public Health. 2023;10:1055898.
10. John ME, Okon DE, Etuk SJ. Respectful maternity care in Calabar, Nigeria. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2020;150(2):200-207.
11. Ogboghodo EO, Omuemu VO, Akpede GO. Experience of respectful maternity care in Benin City, Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract. 2022;25(4):567-574.
12. Afulani PA, Kelly AM, Buback L, Asunka J, Kirumbi L, Lyndon A. Providers' perceptions of disrespect and abuse during childbirth: a mixed-methods study in Kenya. Health Policy Plan. 2020;35(5):577-586.
13. Adedokun ST, Uthman OA, Bisiriyu LA. Determinants of partial and adequate maternal health services utilization in Nigeria: analysis of cross-sectional survey. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2023;23(1):457.
14. Esan DT, Akinyemi OO, Afolabi OT. Observed versus self-reported respectful maternity care in Ibadan, Nigeria. Afr J Reprod Health. 2022;26(4):45-56.
15. Adugna A, Kindie K, Abebe GF. Respectful maternity care and associated factors among mothers who gave birth in three hospitals of Southwest Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study. Front Public Health. 2023;10:1055898.
16. Kassa ZY, Dadi AF, Bizuayehu HM, Hassen TA, Ahmed KY, Ketema DB, et al. Person-centred maternity care during childbirth: a systematic review in low and middle-income countries. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2025;25(1):147.
17. Luthuli S, Madiba T, Mkhize S. Provider bias and respectful maternity care: Experiences of young mothers in South Africa. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(9):4933.
18. Bante A, Mersha A, Tesfaye A . Respectful maternity care and associated factors among women who delivered in public health facilities of Southern Ethiopia. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2019;19(1):123.
