The applicability of women-centered care: Two case studies of capacity-building for maternal health through international collaboration

Abstract

Aim: To explore the general applicability of women-centered care (WCC) as a philosophical foundation used for capacity-building (CB) through examining the results of international collaboration efforts in Bolivia and the Union of Myanmar. Methods: PubMed was used to search for articles related to WCC. The literature was sorted into the categories of "antecedents", "characteristics", and "outcomes". The descriptors of WCC were extracted and applied to midwifery projects in Bolivia and the Union of Myanmar. Pre-assessments and postassessments captured recipients' and health workers' "voices". Case studies were used to illustrate the outcomes. Results: Extracted from the literature were two antecedents that typified pre-WCC: gender inequality and hierarchical, male-centered medical treatment. The characteristics of WCC were respect, safety, holism, and partnership. The consequences of WCC were the empowerment of women, autonomy for the care provider, and societal reform. Using these WCC characteristics as the philosophical foundation of our approach, our Bolivian and Union of Myanmar projects were implemented to improve maternal health through CB mother and baby-friendly care at the primary level of normal birth care. The two projects illustrated the WCC characteristics of respect, safety, and partnership, as well as the resulting empowerment of women and autonomy for the nursing profession. Conclusion: Women-centered care, as a universal philosophical foundation, transcends cultures and CB leads to reform for women, both as the providers and users of care. The field results indicated that WCC can be successfully applied to real-life situations. © 2006 The Authors.