Disrespect and Abuse during Childbirth : Exploring the Experiences, Prevalence, and Patterns Among Recently Delivered Women

ABSTRACT Background: Disrespect and abuse (DAA) during childbirth in a health facility are significant concerns as they affect the quality of maternal healthcare and violate women's rights. Objective: To document the experiences, prevalence, and pattern of DAA among newly delivered mothers attending the immunisation clinic. Methodology: This quantitative, prospective cross-sectional study involved 382 women who had recently given birth within the last six weeks and came to have their babies immunized. The participants were selected through a purposive consecutive sampling method, and data were gathered via a pretested questionnaire that explored their sociodemographic details and childbirth experiences. Data analysis was done to document prevalence, associations, and statistical significance. Analysis was conducted with IBM SPSS version 25. Results: Of the 382 participants, 92 (24.1%) reported suffering one or more forms of abuse during childbirth. Factors significantly associated with DAA during childbirth are identifying as a Christian (P = 0.025), not utilizing antenatal care (P = 0.033), having fewer antenatal care visits (P = 0.027), and giving birth at night (P = 0.001). The most common forms of DAA suffered were multiple forms of abuse 50 (13.1%), non-dignified care 22 (5.8%), non-consented care 14 (3.7%), and physical abuse 10 (2.6%). Overall, 326 (85.3%) of the participants expressed their satisfaction with the delivery process. Conclusion: DAA remains a significant concern that undermines maternal health and violates women's rights. Addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach involving policy reform, healthcare provider education, and increased investment in maternal health infrastructure.