Assessing women’s perspective of the quality of care of the childbirth experience at a tertiary care hospital in Egypt: An application of the WHO standards-based tool

Abstract

Background: Quality of care doesn’t only include the delivery of care, but also the experience. Experience encompasses aspects like respect, communication, and emotional support, which are particularly important to mothers because childbirth is one of the most significant life experiences with long-lasting effects on self-perception as a woman and mother. The study aims to assess the quality of care for women’s childbirth experiences in the maternity department of Kasr Alainy Medical Hospital in Cairo. Design and methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Egypt over a period of 4 months. Around 200 women who were inpatients at the maternity department during the study period agreed to participate. A researcher-administered questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, birth information, and intrapartum care experience was used. This was adapted from the validated ReproQ questionnaire, which is based on WHO standards, using systematic random sampling from the hospital delivery register. Results: Out of 201 respondents, around 45% were below 25 years old, and the majority (65%) were between 20 and 35 years old. The average score for overall satisfaction was 4.1 out of 5, with more than 80% giving a score of 4 or 5, indicating satisfaction or very satisfaction. The highest scores were in dignity, while the lowest were in choice and autonomy. Conclusion: The only sociodemographic factor showing a significant association was the place of health service provision. Women receiving full maternal service at the same hospital were generally more satisfied.