Editor’s note: The following article appears in the first edition of Dominica’s first health journal entitled Rosies & Thorns, published by the husband and wife team of Rosie and Rany Felix. We thank Rosie and Rany for allowing DNO to give you a peek inside the publication by publishing this article. Copies of Rosies & Thorns are available at the Art Gallery on Hilsborough street next to Government Headquarters at a price of EC$20.00.
Pregnant women need and deserve respectful maternity care. Disrespect and abuse during maternity care are a violation of women’s basic human rights. Maternity care providers know these rights but unfortunately not all women and their families know them. In fact women in many countries report that they are forced to have an enema, artificial start of labor (induction of labor) or pain medication, among other procedures but feel powerless about refusing. Sad to say this happens in Dominica too. Some women who decline unnecessary interventions are threatened or quarreled with. It is for these reasons that the seven rights of pregnant women were put together by the White Ribbon Alliance, an international organization for safe motherhood care, and Respectful Maternity Care Partners in 2011. They are based on already established human rights.
Article l
Every woman has the right to be free from harm and ill
treatment. No one should physically abuse you.
Article ll
Every woman has the right to information, informed consent and refusal, and respect for her choices and preferences, including companionship during maternity care. No one should force you or do things to you without your knowledge and consent.
Article lll
Every woman has the right to privacy and confidentiality. No one should expose you or your personal information.
Article lV
Every woman has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. No one should humiliate you or verbally abuse you.
Article V
Every woman has the right to equality, freedom from discrimination, and equal care. No one should discriminate you because of something they do not like about you.
Article Vl
Every woman has the right to healthcare and to the highest attainable level of health. No one should prevent you from getting the maternity care you need.
Article Vll
Every woman has the right to liberty, autonomy, self-determination and freedom from coercion. No one should detain you or your baby without legal authority.
If you are expecting a baby, you, as well as your partner or support person should know these rights. You all should guard them and immediately inform the care provider if you feel that he or she has violated your rights. You may also notify the Quality Control Department of your health institution if any of these rights have been violated. Additionally you should inform the regulatory/licensing or supervisory body of the health care provider.
For more information on respectful maternity care visit:
http://www.whiteribbonalliance.org/wra/assets/file/final_rmc_charter.pdf
intresting artical they say ur never to late to know i had a baby late last year an wat i went through wwit a mid wife at pmh sad to say.. im nt blasting anyone im jus stating if i had know that before.i was in labor for an being my first pregnancy i decided to have all my natural pain d midwife was very rude to me standing here shouting ” oh hurry up because she wants to sleep,dnt keep her here all night an compeling me to take medication.all in all regardless of how she behaved i had a gd pregnancy. i jus regret i choose to say dominica to give birth to b miss treated.
Very good article. Many times pregnant women are not given a choice in the Labor and Delivery Room. Every thing are forced down their throat and they are obliged to accept. I think in the L and D room the patient should be given the option as to how she wants labor pains to be managed.
We as nurses need to be more compassionate, empathetic towards our patients especially mothers in labor.
Very good article. Many times pregnant women are not given a choice in the Labor and Delivery Room. Every thing are forced down their throat and they are obliged to accept. I think in the L and D room the patient should be given the option as to how she wants labor pains to be managed.
We as nurses need to be more compassionate, empathetic towards our patients especially mothers in labor.
this is a very good article,
UVIVERSAL RIGHTS! Never heard of it before? Well WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD ORDER! Ck out this website: amazingdiscoveries.tv then Total Onslaught and NEW WORLD ORDER to get a wealth of information on what this is about. The Good Lord said “My people are dying because of lack of knowledge”. If we trust in God we will not remain in the darkness. This is eye opening!
A lot of these difficulties are faced by single (young) pregnant women. I find it hard to believe a pregnant married woman in a stable relationship would go through that some of the nonsense stated here. Let’s just say, if my wife were pregnant, I would be there by her side 100% and would be advocating on her behalf when she is not well enough to standup for herself.
Women need to respect themselves. If you cannot see youself with the man long term, think it through before you jump into bed with him.
http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ck=10084
This is a bill of rights also for pregnant women
http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ck=10084
i dont get it! but aren’t these rights already quaranteed to all, man or woman, pregnant or not?
Let it be known that CONDOMS DO NOT PREVENT PREGNANCY. Only if it is worn the right way. Did you know that wicked men would put holes in condoms on purpose.
NO I did not have that encounter.
This is indeed very enlightening, women be aware and be informed. Great job Nurse Felix.
I don’t know why Dominica women continue to entertain the lies of Dominican men? Do you really need to reproduce with these low down boys? Emphasis on “boys”!!
I know there’s not much options but the best option would be to not put yourself in a position to be abused and used by these low down little boys!
Some doctors especially the OB/GYN feel like they can talk to and treat patients how they feel. There are some nice ones must admit. But when it comes to matters of female health, I know ladies do not lik to get roughed up, but sadly some doctors do. Its jsut a pity we are not suing these doctors to set them on the strait and narrow.
I like this article, because many women are mistreated by their ob/Gyn and or nurses. Some Doctors have no compassion because they are established professionals and think they can treat all pregnant women the same. Each pregnancy is different, but sadly here, our pregnant ladies have no say and are usually at the mercy of their doc. I think that if we were suing doctors more, they would treat their patients ( especially pregnant) with some more respect. NOt jus the pregnant ladies but male and female patients in general. We must start taking doctors to task when we feel mis-treated!
This is a very good article so that women will know their rights because people are treated real bad at the hospital due to your appearance.
well not in dominica.as long as the woman is pregnant man run.the first statement out of their mouth is *the child is not mine ,tell her doh mention my name*,followed by she was sleeping with other people,or the timing doesnt match,or i use a condom.they have more excuses than the devil in hell
Real men do not do these things. Unfortunately many women love the ill treatment since so many of them go these men who do all the above.So they have to take what they get.
Every man knows when a woman is pregnant with his child. The woman do not have to tell him, he knows. Whether she was sexually involved with other men or not, she knows who the father of her child is. Some men appreciates a woman that is carrying his child and some do not. Unfortunately, bread is good only while it is HOT. Women should really be respected and treated as such. Some men say “this is not my child” because they do not want to spend toward the upbringing of the child, but they are quick to say “THIS IS MY SON, OR MY DAUGHTER” when they become financially stable and when they hold certain positions in society.
That’s not true of all men. Stop generalizing. My boyfriend ( now my husband) was with me every step of the way during my pregnancy. He carried both me and my baby. There are some good Dominican men.
@ as for my house Your lover is/was a boy not a man>>>> Well all you must learn to love men and not boys. Too many times women bLame,men fpt their mistakes. I have been in love with my man for 20 years now. We have 5children and he has never said these nonsensical things to me.Dominica still have some good men. I f i was not in love i would still make the good choice.Look for the good ones. They don’t do these things.
Don’t just run and have sex. TAKE ALL YOU TIME. OWN UP TO ALL YOU RESPONSIBILITIES TOO!
I don’t know many married men running. All you too loose, of course the men will treat you like dirt. Too much promiscuity. Look for real love, commitment and marriage and that nonsense will be more than 90% stopped. In the meantime if its play all you playing, I don’t see why the man should not run.
Well said