Mistreatment of Women during Childbirth and Associated Factors in Northern West Bank, Palestine

Abstract

Mistreatment of women during childbirth is a clear breach of women’s rights during childbirth. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of mistreatment of women during childbirth in the north of West Bank, Palestine. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 269 women within the first 16 weeks of their last vaginal childbirth to understand the childbirth events by using proportionate stratified random sampling. An Arabic valid questionnaire was used as a study instrument. Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the factors associated with each type of mistreatment. The mean age of the women was 26.5 (SD 4.77) years. The overall prevalence of mistreatment was 97.8%. There were six types of mistreatment. Nine factors were significantly associated with the occurrence of one or more types of mistreatment. Delivery at a public childbirth facility was associated with all of the six types (aAdjOR: 2.17–16.77; p-values < 0.001–0.013). Women who lived in villages (aAdjOR 2.33; p-value = 0.047), had low education (aAdjOR 5.09; p-value = 0.004), underwent induction of labour (aAdjOR 3.03; p-value = 0.001), had a long duration of labour (aAdjOR 1.10; p-value = 0.011), did not receive pain killers (aAdjOR: 2.18–3.63; p-values = 0.010–0.020), or had an episiotomy or tear (aAdjOR 5.98; p-value < 0.001) were more likely to experience one or more types of mistreatment. With every one-hour increase in the duration of labor, women were 1.099 times more likely to experience a failure to meet the professional standard of care. Women were less likely to experience mistreatment with increasing age. Women with increasing age (aAdjOR: 0.91–0.92; p-values = 0.003–0.014) and parity (aAdjOR 0.72; p-value = 0.010) were less likely to experience mistreatment. Awareness of women’s fundamental rights during childbirth, making the childbirth process as normal as possible, and improving the childbirth facilities’ conditions, policies, practices and working environment may decrease mistreatment occurrence.

L’expérience de l’accouchement en milieu surveillé dans la province d’Essaouira au Maroc: Quelle réalité?

“…Ce constat est similaire aux résultats d’une revue systématique, avec une prévalence combinée de 44% du manque de respect et de la maltraitance des femmes pendant l’accouchement dans les établissements de santé en Afrique subsaharienne. 34 Au Nigeria, 62% avaient subi au moins une forme de manque de respect pendant l’accouchement, 35 65% au Ghana, 36 97% en Inde, 37 98% en Palestine, 38 et 78% en Éthiopie. 39 …”

“…This observation is in line with the results of a systematic review, with a combined prevalence of 44% for lack of respect and mistreatment of women during childbirth in healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa. 34 In Nigeria, 62% had experienced at least one form of disrespect during childbirth, 35 65% in Ghana, 36 97% in India, 37 98% in Palestine, 38 and 78% in Ethiopia. 39 The perception of mistreatment during childbirth can have long-term effects on the self-esteem of the affected women and could influence their decision regarding another pregnancy.…”