“I would have stayed home if I could manage it alone”: a case study of Ethiopian mother abandoned by care providers during facility-based childbirth
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Authors
Adinew, Yohannes Mehretie
Kelly, Janet
Marshall, Amy
Hall, Helen
Issue Date
2021-05-24
Type
Article
Language
en_US
Keywords
Refusal to Treat , Human Rights Abuses , Respect , Birthing Centers , Ethiopia
Alternative Title
Abstract
Background:
Every woman is entitled to respectful care during pregnancy and childbirth as a basic human right. However, not all women are being treated equally well.
Case Presentation:
This case study highlights some of the common disrespectful practices that women face. This is a testimony of a 28-year-old mother of two, narrated in her own words. The data were collected during an in-depth interview in November 2019. The interview was conducted in her house and her name has been changed to protect her identity. The interview was audio-taped using a digital voice recorder, later transcribed, and translated verbatim from the local language – Amharic, to English.
Conclusion:
This woman’s story highlights the unfortunate reality for some women. Five themes emerged from her narrative: denial of care: the provider left her unattended at a critical moment and denied her the care that she came for; non-consented care: she did not consent to the episiotomy; non-dignified care: she was carried by her arms and legs to the delivery couch, and left naked and bleeding on the couch after birth; taking a sick baby home without medical assistance: she was forced to leave the hospital even though her child had breathing difficulties and was not able to suck or breastfeed; and loss of trust in care providers: for her second birth this woman went to a facility where a relative works, as she no longer trusted these providers.
Description
Citation
Mehretie Adinew, Y., Kelly, J., Marshall, A., & Hall, H. (2021). "I Would Have Stayed Home if I Could Manage It Alone": A Case Study of Ethiopian Mother Abandoned by Care Providers During Facility-Based Childbirth. International journal of women's health, 13, 501–507. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S302208
Publisher
International Journal of Women's Health