TY - JOUR
T1 - European Association of Perinatal Medicine (EAPM), European Board and College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (EBCOG), European Midwives Association (EMA). Joint position statement
T2 - Substandard and disrespectful care in labour – because words matter
AU - Ayres-de-Campos, Diogo
AU - Louwen, Frank
AU - Vivilaki, Victoria
AU - Benedetto, Chiara
AU - Modi, Neena
AU - Wielgos, Miroslaw
AU - Tudose, Melania-Elena Pop
AU - Timonen, Susanna
AU - Reyns, Marlene
AU - Yli, Branka
AU - Stenback, Pernilla
AU - Nunes, Inês
AU - Yurtsal, Burcu
AU - Vayssière, Christophe
AU - Roth, Georges-Emmanuel
AU - Jonsson, Maria
AU - Bakker, Petra
AU - Lopriore, Enrico
AU - Verlohren, Stefan
AU - Jacobsson, Bo
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)
PY - 2024/5/1
Y1 - 2024/5/1
N2 - Substandard or disrespectful care during labour should be of serious concern for healthcare professionals, as it can affect one of the most important events in a woman's life. Substandard care refers to the use of interventions that are not considered best-practice, to the inadequate execution of interventions, to situations where best-practice interventions are withheld from patients, or there is lack of adequate informed consent. Disrespectful care refers to forms of verbal and non-verbal communication that affect patients’ dignity, individuality, privacy, intimacy, or personal beliefs. There are many possible underlying causes for substandard and disrespectful care in labour, including difficulties in modifying behaviours, judgmental or paternalistic attitudes, personal interests and individualism, and a human tendency to make less arduous, less difficult, or less stressful clinical decisions. The term “obstetric violence” is used in some parts of the world to describe various forms of substandard and disrespectful care in labour, but suggests that it is mainly carried out by obstetricians and is a serious form of aggression, carried out with the intent to cause harm. We believe that this term should not be used, as it does not help to identify the underlying problem, its causes, or its correction. In addition, it is generally seen by obstetricians and other healthcare professionals as an unjust and offensive term, generating a defensive and less collaborative mindset.
AB - Substandard or disrespectful care during labour should be of serious concern for healthcare professionals, as it can affect one of the most important events in a woman's life. Substandard care refers to the use of interventions that are not considered best-practice, to the inadequate execution of interventions, to situations where best-practice interventions are withheld from patients, or there is lack of adequate informed consent. Disrespectful care refers to forms of verbal and non-verbal communication that affect patients’ dignity, individuality, privacy, intimacy, or personal beliefs. There are many possible underlying causes for substandard and disrespectful care in labour, including difficulties in modifying behaviours, judgmental or paternalistic attitudes, personal interests and individualism, and a human tendency to make less arduous, less difficult, or less stressful clinical decisions. The term “obstetric violence” is used in some parts of the world to describe various forms of substandard and disrespectful care in labour, but suggests that it is mainly carried out by obstetricians and is a serious form of aggression, carried out with the intent to cause harm. We believe that this term should not be used, as it does not help to identify the underlying problem, its causes, or its correction. In addition, it is generally seen by obstetricians and other healthcare professionals as an unjust and offensive term, generating a defensive and less collaborative mindset.
KW - Disrespect
KW - Intrapartum care
KW - Multiprofessional teams
KW - Obstetric violence
KW - Substandard care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85187207314&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2024.02.048
DO - 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2024.02.048
M3 - Article
C2 - 38460251
SN - 0301-2115
VL - 296
SP - 205
EP - 207
JO - European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
JF - European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
ER -