Women’s Experiences of Compassion During Facility Births in Sub-Saharan Africa: Scoping Narrative Review

Background: Compassion is a cornerstone of woman-centred maternity care and a critical determinant of women’s experiences of childbirth. When dignity, empathy, and effective communication are upheld, women perceive childbirth as safe, empowering, and affirming. However, evidence from many settings highlights the persistence of disrespect, neglect, and abuse during facility-based intrapartum care, undermining trust in health services and contributing to poor maternal outcomes. Objectives: This scoping review explored and synthesized evidence on women’s experiences and per-ceptions of care, with a focus on how compassionis are experienced and enacted in healthcare settings. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across EBSCOhost databases, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, and PsycINFO. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Data was charted and thematically analyzed to identify the role of compassion and related interpersonal factors in shaping wom-en’s intrapartum experiences. Results: The review of fifteen studies identified two main themes and 12 sub-themes related to childbirth experiences. Compassionate care, characterized by respect, empathy, effective communication, and support for autono-my, led to positive childbirth outcomes and encouraged future use of health services. Conversely, care encounters lacking relational elements, including neglect, mistreat-ment, discrimination, and unconsented care, resulted in feelings of humiliation and disempowerment, discouraging women from seeking facility-based care in future. Conclusion: Compassion during intrapartum care is both a fundamental human right and an essential component of quality maternal health services. Addressing persistent mistreatment requires systemic reform, provider training in compassionate, rights-based care, stronger accountability, and the active inclusion of women’s voices in shaping maternity services.