Publication:

A cross-sectional study on the prevalence of respectful maternal care among postnatal women during facility-based childbirth in a tertiary care centre in Bihar, India

Background Respectful maternal care (RMC) protects pregnant women’s rights to maintain dignity and respect, ensuring appropriate, supportive care and autonomy. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of RMC in a tertiary healthcare setting and investigate its association with sociodemographic and obstetric variables.

Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study design was conducted using a convenience sampling method. RMC was assessed among postnatal mothers using the standard Indian Person-Centred Maternity Care (PCMC) tool through face-to-face interviews conducted between mid-January and mid-March 2025. The data were analysed using SPSS version 25, calculating means±SD and frequency percentage distributions, and the chi-square test.

Results In this study, it was found that the mean value of the PCMC score was 76.25% and 54% of women received adequate RMC. The most deficient domains were communication and autonomy, followed by supportive care. Women reported experiences of verbal abuse (23.3%), physical abuse (1.9%), feeling exposed with a lack of privacy during examinations (47%), providers never introducing themselves (36.7%), and delays in receiving treatment (78.1%). Moreover, 78.6% of women said they were never allowed to choose a birth companion during delivery. RMC was significantly associated with religion (p<0.05, df=1 at the 95% confidence level). It reflects the influence of religious diversity on experiences of disrespect.

Conclusions The prevalence of RMC was only 54%. Therefore, healthcare providers require training to upgrade their communication skills and supportive care for women, which will improve access to quality public health services.