Respectful maternity care (RMC) is a crucial component of quality of care and a human right, however, there is evidence that many women do not access RMC, particularly in low-resource settings.
Recently published in the BMJ Global Health, this multi-country comparative study aims to measure the effect of implementing maternal and newborn health (MNH) quality of care standards on respectful maternity care measures. A facility-based before and after evaluation was conducted in 43 healthcare facilities in Bangladesh, Ghana and Tanzania.
This study suggests that healthcare facilities and systems in low and middle-income countries can accelerate RMC by implementing MNH quality standards and developing multilevel, context-specific interventions when adequate investment and support are provided.