Getting Respectful Maternity Care During Covid-19

There's no denying that we are in strange, scary, uncertain, and stressful times during the Coronavirus pandemic. For people planning on giving birth in a hospital in the next few weeks and months, there is an extra layer of concern about safety and treatment. Whether or not a pandemic is going on, humans are entitled to basic rights and standards of care, dignity, respect, and treatment in the hospital setting. These universal rights protect our health and safety, which ultimately contributes to good health outcomes.

The current strain on the healthcare institutions caused by Covid-19 has revealed major problems in our system. These deficiencies could result in birthing people experiencing mistreatment and violation of rights during the hospital stay. In an effort to help inform the public, government, and professionals on the latest and best available evidence on best practices during a pandemic, The White Ribbon Alliance, a nonpartisan, non-profit and non-governmental membership organization that aims to decrease maternal and newborn death globally, together with multiple partners, has created the "Stronger Together" campaign. This campaign aims to spread vital up-to-date information to all relevant parties in order to make sure parents know their rights and workers know how to prevent incidents of mistreatment and rights violations.  

Make sure that your hospital stay and care during your birth is as safe as it can be by learning about your rights. The following list, as provided by The White Ribbon Alliance and their partners, outlines procedures or restrictions that may be suggested or enforced upon people during birth for reasons related to the pandemic. However, the items on this list are violations of rights, regardless of the pandemic. In other words, no care provider has the right to force any of the following on you at any time: 

• Medically unnecessary c-sections, inductions, instrumental deliveries, augmentation of labor.
• Mandatory separation for mother and baby, not permitting or supporting breastfeeding after birth.
• Restrictions or prohibition of a companion at birth.
• Lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for professionals, resulting in delays or restrictions in care. Threats or intimidation when providers speak out about the gap.
• Pandemic-related health system deficiencies that impact women’s rights to timely healthcare, such as lack of emergency transport and restricting private individuals from transporting women in labor; redirecting providers and supplies to pandemic response and leaving gaps in reproductive, maternal and newborn health services.
• Reduction or cancellation of basic reproductive health care services deemed ‘non-essential’, such as family planning, antenatal/postpartum care and breastfeeding support.

When you know your rights, you can be better empowered to stand up and ask for them. If you believe your birthing rights are being violated, you have the right to speak up and demand your rights, to speak to a supervisor or hospital administrator, and to switch providers and/or hospitals. If you believe your rights were violated during your birth, you have the right to demand justice and take action. Respectful maternity care is a universal right for parents and babies. For more information, visit The White Ribbon Alliance.