CDC survey finds disturbing mistreatment of pregnant women by health professionals

A recent Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey released on Tuesday has revealed distressing findings regarding care during pregnancy.One in five women in the United States hasreported that she encountered mistreatment, including scoldings, during pregnancy and delivery care at the hands of the nation's health professionals.

Racial angle to the mistreatment

The CDC study found that this mistreatment was more prevalent among Black, Hispanic, and multiracial women, as well as those without private insurance coverage.

In a statement, Dr Debra Houry, the CDC's Chief Medical Officer, said that "These data show that we must do better to support moms."

The CDC's Vital Signs report mentions the various forms of mistreatment. These include instances of women being scolded or shouted at, them not receiving a response to requests for help, and not having their physical privacy protected.

Additionally, many reported that they were on the receiving end of threats to withhold treatments or were pressured into accepting unwanted treatment.

Survey data shows that around 30 per cent of Black women, 29 per cent of Hispanic women, and 27 per cent of multiracial women reported mistreatment during their maternity care experiences.

What would improving pregnancy care do?

As per the survey that was conducted in April, enhancing the quality of maternity care could play a crucial role in preventing pregnancy-related deaths.

Furthermore, it highlighted how prevalent discrimination was among pregnant women.It noted that "the most common reasons for reported discrimination were age, weight, and income and varied by race/ethnicity."

The survey also foundthat in general, women tend to hold back from asking questions or concerns to healthcare providers during their maternity care. This hesitation was often due toembarrassment about discussing certain topics, fears that they would be perceived as difficult, or because the providers were rushed.

Furthermore, the type of insurance coverage held by women also played a part in their pregnancy healthcare experiences.

Pregnant women without insurance — which account for 28 per cent of those surveyed, or those with public insurance (26 per cent) reported higher rates of mistreatment compared to women with private insurance coverage (16 per cent).

Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra stressed that "every mother deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Maternal care is a core component of this nation's health care." He also said, "Bias, stigma, and mistreatment have no place in our healthcare system."

(With inputs from agencies)

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