Maternal Care or Mistreatment? A Review of Obstetric Violence in Ghana

Mistreatment of women during childbirth is acknowledged globally as an impediment to achieving maternal health goals. In Ghana, despite improvements in antenatal care use and institutional child delivery policies, reports of obstetric violence remain pervasive. This review draws evidence from twelve peer reviewed sources conducted in Ghana by examining the forms, prevalence, determinants and consequences of mistreatment during childbirth. Findings indicate that verbal and physical abuse, non-consented care, neglect, discrimination, detention, and extortion are widespread and with normalization among healthcare workers. Factors that drive the phenomenon include systemic inadequacies, workload pressures and an entrenched socio-cultural attitude. Including Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) in policy, enhancing quality healthcare provider training and addressing infrastructural deficits in addition to a national commitment to RMC were recommended in order to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, increase facility-based delivery and promote women’s rights.