Effect of a Respectful Maternity Care-Based Action Plan in Postpartum Care on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes

ilayda sel

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Maternal Satisfaction; Maternal Health Care; Postpartum Care; Breastfeeding; Quality of Care; Postpartum Depression (PPD); Newborn Health

Treatments: Behavioral: Respectful Maternity Care Training and Action Plan

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07280000

ISB-WH-02

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will examine whether a Respectful Maternity Care-based action plan can improve the quality of postpartum care and maternal and newborn outcomes. Nurses and midwives will receive a three-day interactive training about respectful, evidence-based postpartum care. After training, a unit-level action plan will be implemented, including supportive visits, educational materials, and feedback meetings. Women receiving routine postpartum care before the intervention will be compared with women receiving care after implementation. Outcomes will include respectful maternity care experiences, maternal satisfaction, exclusive breastfeeding at 6-8 weeks, maternal mental health, mother-infant bonding, and postpartum complications. The goal of this study is to promote respectful, high-quality postpartum care and improve the health and well-being of mothers and newborns.

Enrollment: 500 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 49 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Postpartum women aged 18 years and older
• Gave birth at 37-42 gestational weeks (vaginal or cesarean)
• Have a single, healthy newborn
• No chronic medical conditions
• No history of high-risk pregnancy or fetal complications
• No communication barriers (e.g., visual or hearing impairment)
• Able to speak and understand Turkish
• Literate and able to read and write in Turkish

Exclusion criteria

• Development of maternal or neonatal complications during the postpartum follow-up period
• Inability to reach the mother at the 8-week postpartum follow-up

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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500 participants in 2 patient groups

Control: Routine Postpartum Care

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in this arm will receive routine postpartum care practices currently provided at the study site, without exposure to the respectful maternity care training or action plan components. Usual clinical care protocols and standard postpartum follow-up procedures will be applied.

Intervention: Respectful Maternity Care Action Plan

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm will receive postpartum care delivered by nurses and midwives trained in the Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) Action Plan. The intervention includes structured training for postpartum professionals, implementation of evidence-based respectful maternity practices, and application of the developed RMC program content and postpartum care forms. Care will emphasize dignity, privacy, informed consent, emotional support, newborn bonding, breastfeeding support, and person-centered communication.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Respectful Maternity Care Training and Action Plan