Sentara 1st in nation to earn AWHONN Respectful Maternity Care bronze designation

Sentara Health has become the first health system in the nation to have all ten of its family maternity centers earn the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) bronze designation, a national honor recognizing our commitment to equitable, evidence-based, and person-centered maternity care. 

“This recognition reflects the work our teams have already been doing and strengthens our focus on making sure every patient, every interaction, and every moment of care reflects that same level of respect and communication,” said Amber Price, Sentara’s system chief nursing officer. 

“As we move forward, it’s about building consistency, so every family feels the difference.” 

Why This Designation Matters

Respectful maternity care became a global priority in 2014, when the World Health Organization called for the elimination of disrespect during childbirth and affirmed every patient’s right to dignified care.

That momentum helped drive action in the U.S., where AWHONN is among the first national organizations to turn those principles into clear, measurable standards for hospitals.

In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control reported that 1 in 5 mothers—and nearly 1 in 3 Black, Hispanic, and multiracial mothers—experienced disrespect during maternity care.

These findings underscore why respectful maternity care is essential today, as disparities in maternal outcomes persist and patient experience, communication, and trust remain critical to safety and outcomes.

What Respectful Maternity Care Looks Like

At its core, respectful maternity care is about how care is delivered, not just what care is delivered. It ensures patients feel seen, informed, and supported in real time.

Consider a patient who wants to wear her own gown to feel more comfortable during labor. In some care settings, the patient might be asked to change into a standard hospital gown for monitoring and clinical needs, and she complies, assuming it's required. 

With respectful maternity care, the care team talks through the patient's preference and adapts — using wireless monitoring and adjusting access points so she can wear her own gown safely while still receiving the care she needs.

Respectful care doesn’t slow down clinical care; it removes fear, confusion, and resistance by prioritizing clarity, communication and trust.

‘An honor and a responsibility’

AWHONN is a national leader in maternal and neonatal health. Its designation recognizes hospitals that demonstrate respectful communication, shared decision-making, team-based care, and clinical excellence.

As the first in the nation to achieve this designation, Sentara is helping set a new standard for maternity care, while helping define what safe, equitable and truly patient-centered maternity care should look like for every family. 

A bulletin board in Sentara CarePlex Hospital’s family maternity center celebrates the respectful maternity care designation.

“Receiving this designation is both an honor and a responsibility,” said Dr. Francine Pearce, Sentara’s medical director of health impact and engagement. “It reflects our commitment to protecting the lives and dignity of mothers, babies, and families.”

“This recognition goes beyond clinical excellence, it represents our responsibility to listen deeply, act with urgency, and ensure that every birthing person receives safe, respectful, evidence-based care.”

Dr. Pearce added that, as a physician, she sees this designation as a renewed charge to keep advancing maternal health with courage, compassion, and accountability.

With all family maternity centers earning bronze, Sentara has laid the groundwork for respectful maternity care, with the next steps toward silver showing those practices are happening every day and improving patient experience, and gold reflecting lasting results across the system.