MATernity care providers’ experiences of work-related serious EventS (MATES) : an international survey

Abstract

Across the globe, the majority of women experience physiological childbirth and often have positive experiences with good health outcomes for both them and their baby. For some women however, because of the nature, health complications and context of childbirth they may experience, or be perceived as having had a traumatic birth. Ultimately, whether an individual experiences an event as traumatic or not, is the individual’s own interpretation. Caring for these women and their infant nevertheless, can be challenging for some maternity care providers (MCPs) as the incidence of experiencing traumatic birth event(s) as part of their work, ranges from 67% to 90%. In order to support MCPs to provide quality maternal and newborn care, it is important to examine the impact that work-related severe events has on them. We undertook an international survey of maternity care professionals relating to MATernity serious EventS (MATES), across 33 countries between July and December 2022. The questionnaire was developed utilising validated instruments and hosted on QualtricsXM. Following ethical approval, the questionnaire was disseminated internationally via social media and the COST Action (CA18211) network. The total number of maternity care providers who participated in the study was 579 including midwives, nurses, obstetricians, and neonatologists with a wide range of age and years of experience. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed, including univariate and multivariate linear regression. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS v.20 and two-sided significance tests were applied (α <.05). The empirical findings suggest that maternity care providers are exposed to a large variation of severe events, continuing to be intensely affected by these, up to the present day. Events include stillbirth, neonatal death, maternal death, severe or life-threatening maternal or infant incidents and experience of violence and aggression from the woman or family member. Such traumatic events left maternity care providers at a higher risk of distress. Institutional support for maternity care providers is limited and seldom used. Family and friends were relied on for support which was not associated with MCP experiencing less secondary traumatic stress. MCPs were absent from work through sickness (22%), changed their professional allocation (19%) and seriously considered leaving (42%). Moreover, many reported a moderate to high impact on compassion, satisfaction and burnout (65-80%). With international shortages of MCPs, the impact of these events seems to contribute to this shortage. Reasons why informal rather than formal support is more often used needs to be further explored. Dignity and respect are important in the care for women, but it is also essential for MCPs who are often exposed to serious events within their work, leaving them affected and distressed from these stressful circumstances.