Gold Standard Lacking for Measuring Respectful Maternity Care
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Jan. 2, 2024 -- The lack of a gold standard for measuring respectful maternity care (RMC) limits evaluation of other tools, according to a review published online Jan. 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Amy G. Cantor, M.D., M.P.H., from Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, and colleagues conducted a systematic review on definitions and valid measurements of RMC and its effectiveness for improving maternal and infant health outcomes.
Data were included from 37 studies; one provided insufficient evidence on the effectiveness of RMC to improve maternal outcomes, and none of them studied RMC to improve infant outcomes. The authors identified 12 RMC frameworks to define RMC, from which two main concepts were identified: (1) disrespect and abuse, which focused on recognizing birth mistreatment, and (2) rights-based frameworks, which incorporated aspects of reproductive justice, human rights, and antiracism. Freedom from abuse, consent, privacy, dignity, communication, safety, and justice were identified as five overlapping framework themes. In 24 studies, 12 tools were validated to measure RMC, but the lack of a gold standard limited the assessment of criterion validity. At least one study demonstrating consistency internally was found for three tools specific for RMC; no single tool stood out as the best RMC measure.
"Tools to measure RMC demonstrate consistency but lack a gold standard, requiring further evaluation before implementation in U.S. settings," the authors write. "Evidence is lacking on the effectiveness of implementing RMC to improve any maternal or infant health outcome."
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted January 2024
Read this next
Small Number of Procedures Account for Large Number of Opioid Prescriptions
FRIDAY, June 28, 2024 -- A small number of surgical procedures, including orthopedic procedures and cesarean delivery, account for a large proportion of opioid prescriptions...
Multivitamin Use Not Linked to Mortality Benefit in U.S. Adults
WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2024 -- Multivitamin (MV) use is not associated with mortality benefit among U.S. adults, according to a study published online June 26 in JAMA Network...
COVID-19 Vaccination Not Tied to Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
TUESDAY, June 25, 2024 -- mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, according to a study published in the...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.