The Essence of Dignity and Respect Excellent maternity care has a unique ability to dignify. It can make women feel valued, respected, honoured and seen. Dignified care and environments are those in which both the woman’s values and vulnerability are acknowledged and accommodated simultaneously, where she is recognised, understood, treated with safety, fairness and accountability.
Dignity The right of every human being to live a dignified life, a life worthy of honour and respect. This includes pregnant women and dignity as the guiding factor for every action Dignity is evidenced by the values of respect, kindness, understanding, tolerance, and compassion. The right to dignity incudes access to health care, education,
The Maternal Metamorphosis: Becoming a mother in Australia (1945-2020) The 2021 Trevor Reese Memorial Lecture delivered by historian Dr Carla Pascoe Leahy from the University of Melbourne examines the changing cultural attitudes towards motherhood, changing theories of maternal subjectivity, and how mothers’ own experiences are remembered in oral history interviews. The lecture asks what happens
Woman-centred Maternity Care Woman-centred maternity care supports women to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to effectively manage and make informed decisions about their own health and maternity care. These skills will be valuable as she becomes a mother, enhancing her ability to make informed decisions regarding the health care of her child.
Compassion is a fundamental aspect of maternity care, not an add-on We know that compassionate support generally features high on pregnant women’s wish list for maternity care. We also know that some pregnant women fear the pain of childbirth. But do maternity care providers feel that managing pain is more useful than compassion? There’s plenty
Best available evidence – how to make it easy to understand We at MHM want all women to receive respectful maternity care. That is care based on the best available evidence in consultation with you so you can make an informed decision on your preferred maternity care. However, sometimes it is hard to know what
“Act now for safe and respectful childbirth!” World Patient Safety Day 2021 The theme selected for World Patient Safety Day 2021 is “Safe maternal and newborn care”, due to the significant burden of risks and harm women and newborns are exposed to when receiving unsafe care during childbirth. The World Health Organization urges all stakeholders
The Women's Safety Summit - Needs to include pregnancy The effects on women and their children of violence during pregnancy cannot be overstated. It is associated with several types of harm, both to a pregnant mother and to her unborn baby. We at Maternal Health Matters Inc. would like the National Federation Reform Council Taskforce on Women's
Maternity Care Reform – We need it know. Governments, health services and maternity care experts are letting women down. While Australia does have a strategy for ensuring all women receive respectful maternity care, the strategy is yet to be implemented. Australia is yet to develop a strategy and targets to ensure all women receive best
Women’s rights are human rights! Women’s rights are human rights, yet too many women and girls are still denied their fundamental rights. Pregnant women pay with their bodies and their very lives. This is evidenced by the physical damage women experience, with one third of Australian women defining their birth as traumatic, some experiencing
