Regional study reveals high rates of informal payments and use of "connections" in Bosnian maternity wards

The research, conducted by investigators from the Faculty of Media and Communications in Zagreb, included 7,779 women from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Croatia. The study highlights the systemic issues women face during labour and their stay in maternity wards.

The highest number of negative experiences relates to the behaviour of medical staff. Nearly half of the respondents cited examples of rudeness, neglect, and unprofessional conduct during childbirth. In open-ended responses, women described experiences ranging from fundal pressure (Kristeller maneuver) and the ignoring of pain to a lack of breastfeeding support and poor facility conditions, including hygiene issues and a lack of basic supplies.

The authors of the study pointed to a significant gap between legal rights and their practical application. Although the Law on Health Care and the Law on Patient Rights guarantee the right to dignity, privacy, and adequate care, the experiences of mothers suggest these rights are frequently disregarded unless they personally know a member of the medical staff.

Specifically, when asked if they used personal or professional connections to secure adequate care, 57.4% of respondents from Serbia answered affirmatively, while nearly half stated they gave money to healthcare workers.

Similar data was recorded in other countries in the region. The percentage of respondents reporting the giving of money was even higher in Bosnia and Herzegovina at 68% and Montenegro at 72%, according to the published research.