Better Birth Care: How Sri Lanka Can Learn from Moms and Experts

The Current Situation

Sri Lanka faces a significant challenge in maternity care. Many mothers and health workers feel that the care provided during pregnancy and childbirth is not always person-centered.

Person-centered maternity care means treating each mother as a unique individual with her own needs and feelings.

The Research Gap

There are not enough studies in Sri Lanka that explore this issue from multiple perspectives. Most studies focus on only one side of the story:

• Some ask mothers about their experiences.
• Others ask doctors and nurses about their thoughts.

Rarely do studies bring all voices together to find solutions.

The Missed Opportunity

This is a missed chance for co-creation—working together to find solutions that work for everyone.

• Mothers might want more respect and privacy.
• Health workers might need more training and resources.
• Advocates might push for better policies.

By combining these views, Sri Lanka can create interventions that truly improve care quality.

The Current Reality

Unfortunately, this collaborative approach is not happening enough in Sri Lanka. The lack of studies that bring different perspectives together means that maternity care is not as good as it could be.

A Call for Change

It's time for a change. Sri Lanka needs to start listening to all voices. By doing so, it can create a maternity care system that truly puts the person at the center.