Person-centered maternity care (PCMC) is respectful, responsive, and compassionate childbirth care. It’s essential for good outcomes for parents and babies. The PCMC scale is a tool for quantifying how well providers and facilities are offering that care and identifying areas to make progress.
In a new paper by Osamuedeme Odiase and colleagues, researchers analyzed studies that use the PCMC scale around the world. The studies showed the PCMC is sub-optimal globally. There is a need to improve care in all settings.
They found that the scale was reliable across low-, middle-, and high-income settings, and revealed varying levels of PCMC. The area of PCMC that had the lowest scores across the board was communication and autonomy. In general, scores were lowest among studies conducted in Africa, and higher in the studies in the United States, with wide variation for studies in Asia.
Several factors were associated with higher scores, including:
- High socioeconomic status
- Starting prenatal care early
- Giving birth in a health center or private facility
- Giving birth during the daytime
- Having a companion at birth
The range of PCMC scores indicate what levels of care are achievable. The results also suggest that interventions to address low scores need be specific to their contexts. Low communication and autonomy scores call for a focus on this area everywhere.
Integrated efforts to address several areas of care may yield more significant impacts and be more cost-effective. It’s also crucial for health systems and facilities to create supportive environments for providers to foster a culture of PCMC. Interventions must address inequities to ensure all women receive PCMC regardless of their socioeconomic status, the facilities they receive care in, or their health status.
