Quality midwifery care during childbirth at a midwife obstetric unit: A qualitative study

Background: Globally, there is an increasing focus on enhancing the quality of midwifery care. In public institutions, primary care midwifery is provided at a midwife obstetric unit (MOU). Midwives at MOUs are the first contact that pregnant women have when accessing midwifery care. There exists a notable disparity in the perception of quality midwifery care between midwives and women. In South Africa, there has been a scarcity of research examining the perspectives of midwives and women, regarding the quality of midwifery care provided during childbirth. Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore and describe women’s and midwives’ perceptions of the quality of midwifery care during childbirth, at a MOU in Cape Town in the Western Cape, South Africa. Method: A qualitative exploratory descriptive design was utilised. Four women and five midwives were selected through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken, transcribed and analysed utilising Tesch’s eight-step approach to qualitative data analysis. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) understanding of quality midwifery care, (2) experiences of women during childbirth and (3) support received by women and midwives. Conclusion: The quality of midwifery care remains compromised within the MOU setting due to various challenges encompassing limitations of both human and physical resources. It is imperative to establish a shared understanding of what constitutes quality midwifery care, as women and midwives often perceive it differently. Contribution: Midwifery care during childbirth requires the engagement of all stakeholders, including women, to enhance the quality of midwifery care provided.