Dignity-Oriented Care in Midwifery

IntroductionThe experience of giving birth is a special event and an essential indicator in women's lives to check the quality of care.[۱] But in some women, this experience is marred by a lack of dignity and respect. [۲] Women's negative and positive childbirth experiences have a long-term effect on their health and It affects their mental health, family and society.[۱]Respecting patient's dignity is one of the important aspects of ethics and ethical care. Dignity is a basic human right for everyone and It is necessary for the well-being of every person in all societies. The concept of dignity has four defining characteristics, which include respect, independence, empowerment and connection.[۳]MethodThis article is a review of the last ten years articles )۲۰۱۴ - ۲۰۲۳( in the scientific databases that were found by searching on reliable websites such as PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Ovid/MEDLINE, EMBASE, up to date and Scopus.ResultFailure to respect patient's privacy (as a measure of dignity) may not only cause patients to conceal some aspects of their medical history or avoid medical examination, but also increase their anxiety and stress levels which leads to some aggressive and unacceptable behavior[۳]Misbehavior with pregnant women requires discrimination, not obtaining consent to perform actions such as vaginal examination, episiotomy, labor induction, cesarean section, as well as verbal and physical abuse, neglect, lack of privacy, lack of supportive care, etc.[۴]ConclusionIn the declaration of human rights, dignity is a human value that is considered as a fundamental right for everyone.[۵]Human dignity, which is defined as respect for human individuality, is a highly recommended necessity that must be considered in medical environments to provide high quality services and increase patient satisfaction. The human dignity of pregnant and childbirthing mothers in maternity wards and clinics is relatively low due to the lack of sufficient equipment and facilities and the insufficient number of midwives and delivery personnel.[۶]Health and medical services should strive to transform health facilities into social spaces where all the dignity of women and citizens is protected and supported.[۷]

Keywords:

Dignity , Experience , Patient satisfaction , Pregnant women , Human rights , Childbirthing mothers