Respectful Care
Respectful Care is organized by American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
Available: May 6, 2022 - May 1, 2024
Description:
Significant racial health disparities have been proven to exist in birth outcomes year after year. The data prove that racial inequities in care are harmful to patients; but what can health care professionals do to help eliminate these disparities?
ACOG is pleased to offer free online courses dedicated to race and equity in obstetrics and gynecology, historical foundations of obstetrics and gynecology, and respectful care in obstetrics and gynecology. These courses will provide a breadth of knowledge that will help clinicians more effectively offer respectful care in obstetrics, gynecology, and overall patient health. Read on to learn more about each course topic.
Race and Equity
Significant racial disparities exist in maternal mortality and morbidity rates in the United States; for example, Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Understanding the foundations of race and birth equity provides fundamental preliminary knowledge to build upon in the process of understanding the need for respectful care.
Historical Foundations
Some within the fields of obstetrics and gynecology may not be familiar with some of the historical foundations of many of the field's medical and scientific developments. This history includes atrocities committed against marginalized populations. Understanding the history of the obstetrics and gynecology field, including medicalization and unethical experimentation, can help further drive home the need for respectful care.
Respectful Care
Respectful maternity care is an approach that encourages shifting practice to reduce inequities in birth outcomes. Some clinicians may be unfamiliar with the concept of respectful maternity care, so supporting the spread of information and knowledge around respectful maternity care and its implementation is critical.
Objectives:
By the end of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Describe the concepts of race and birth equity
- Describe the history concepts of medicalization of obstetrics, and unethical experimentation on marginalized populations
- Discuss how the history of the field affects obstetric and gynecologic care today
- Describe the goals of respectful maternity care and identify steps to put it into practice