Experiences of Midwives in Providing Respectful Maternity Care During Childbirth in Jos, Nigeria

Background: Respectful maternity care is acknowledged as necessary for reaching higher levels of care quality for women during labour and delivery. In Nigeria, the problem of disrespect and maltreatment during childbirth is quite high; midwives have been acclaimed as agents in this regard. Understanding the experiences of midwives in providing respectful maternity care during childbirth is critical to its promotion. This study therefore aimed at exploring and documenting the experiences of midwives in providing respectful maternity care during the birth of a child. Methods: This research was performed using a qualitative, phenomenological approach involving in-depth interviews conducted on purposefully selected midwives providing services in the labour ward of a Nigerian hospital. The thematic analysis procedure was used to create descriptive accounts of the study information, which was analysed using NVivo software. Study Sample: In total, 10 nurses or midwives currently working in the labour ward of the selected hospital participated in the study. Results: Midwives expressed expectations from pregnant women during childbirth that aligned with their belief in the preservation of patients’ dignity. Additionally, the opinion of the midwives pointed to the justification of disrespect with some patients acting outside of acceptable behaviours and composure in labour. Furthermore, health system constraints were also expressed to influence the experience of the midwives. Conclusion: Midwives are favourably disposed to providing respectful care during childbirth, but when their expectations are not met, their care becomes limited, and there are health system constraints. Several strategies could improve the experiences of midwives, including system-level changes and a collaborative shared model of care delivery between the antenatal clinic and labour wards.