Abstract:
Background: While there has been a trend for greater number of women to deliver at health facilities across
Tanzania, mothers and their family members continue to face mistreatment with respectful maternity care during
childbirth being violated. The objective of this study was to describe the experience of mothers and fathers in
relation to (mis) treatment during childbirth in Tanzania.
Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive design, 12 semi-structured interviews and four focus group discussions
were held with mothers and fathers who were attending a postnatal clinic in the Lake Zone region of Tanzania.
Mothers’ age ranged from 20 to 45 years whereas fathers’ age ranged from 25 to 60 years. Data were analyzed
using a priori coding based on Bohren’s et al. typology of the mistreatment of women during childbirth.
Results: Mothers reported facing mistreatment and disrespectful maternity care through verbal abuse (harsh or
rude language and judgmental or accusatory comments), failure to meet professional standards of care (refused
pain relief, unconsented surgical operations, neglect, abandonment or long delays, and skilled attendant absent at
time of delivery), poor rapport between women and providers (poor communication, lack of supportive care,
denied husbands presence at birth, denied mobility, denied safe traditional practices, no respect for their preferred
birth positions), and health system conditions and constraints (poor physical condition of facilities, supply constraints,
bribery and extortion, unclear fee structures). Despite some poor care, some mothers also reported positive birthing
experiences and respectful maternity care by having a skilled attendant assistance at delivery, having good
communication from nurses, receiving supportive care from nurses and privacy during delivery.
Conclusion: Despite the increasing number of deliveries occurring in the hospital, there continue to be challenges
in providing respectful maternity care. Humanizing birth care in Tanzania continues to have a long way to go, however,
there is evidence that changes are occurring as mothers notice and report positive changes in delivery care practices
