Person-centered maternity care during childbirth and its predictors in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Person-centered maternity care (PCMC) is a model that prioritizes respect, dignity, and responsiveness to each woman’s needs, values, and preferences during childbirth. It promotes open communication and personalized care, which is crucial for improving maternal satisfaction and increasing hospital-based deliveries. While recognized as a key element of quality maternal care, the implementation of PCMC varies across different countries. This review aims to assess the pooled mean score and key predictors of PCMC in Ethiopia. Objectives: This review aims to assess the pooled mean score and key predictors of PCMC in Ethiopia. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources and methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. A comprehensive search was performed in international databases, and registers including: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, HINARI , Scopus, Web of Science, and African Journals Online databases. The quality of included studies was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. Heterogeneity was measured with the I 2 statistic and its p -value, and publication bias was examined through funnel plots and Egger’s test. A random effects model was applied to compute the pooled mean score of PCMC, and adjusted β with results presented as 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Seven studies, involving 3383 women, were included in the review. The pooled mean PCMC score was 56.75% (95% CI: 55.08, 58.41). The highest scores were reported in Oromia (60.2) and Addis Ababa (59.2), while the lowest was in South Gondar (52.3). Key factors influencing PCMC included educational status (β: −2.7, 95% CI: −3.98, −1.45), complications during childbirth (β: −5.34, 95% CI: −7.24, −3.44), and time of delivery (β: −3.10, 95% CI: −4.10, −2.11). Conclusion: The pooled mean score of PCMC in Ethiopia is lower than in many other countries. Key determinants include women’s education, complications during childbirth, and the timing of delivery. Addressing these factors is crucial for improving the quality of PCMC in Ethiopia. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42024603854.