From the "honoring" of doctors to the lack of basic conditions, women's experiences show that childbirth in Serbia and the region often depends on acquaintances and money, rather than on guaranteed rights. Research on conditions in maternity wards and women's experiences during childbirth points to numerous, alarming problems
More than half of women in Serbia do not enter maternity hospital only with a pregnancy card, but also with a relationship. A newly published regional survey shows that trust in health the system is increasingly being replaced by informal coping strategies - acquaintances, recommendations and money.
The research entitled "Conditions in maternity wards and experiences of women during childbirth in the Balkans", conducted by researchers from the Faculty of Media and Communications in Belgrade on a sample of 7.779 women from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Croatia, reveals deep-rooted problems in maternity hospitals throughout the region. The data was collected during 2022 through an online questionnaire filled out by women who gave birth between 2016 and 2021.
In Serbia, 57,4 percent of respondents stated that they used personal or professional connections in order to receive adequate care, while almost half admitted that they gave money to health workers.
Similar data were recorded in other countries of the region, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, where the percentage of respondents who mention giving money is even higher: 68 percent in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 72 percent in Montenegro, according to published research.
The money paid to medical workers is not always symbolic. On the contrary - the experiences of women from Serbia show that informal payment is often a system of unwritten tariffs. According to earlier testimonies of mothers in labor, about whom "Vreme" wrote, the "honor" to the doctors before the birth can amount to several hundred euros, with additional payments for the midwife or epidural, although these services are covered by basic health insurance.
Some women also said that a caesarean section "on request" is charged around 500 euros, while they even mention price differences depending on the sex of the child.
By law, childbirth is an emergency medical service and must not be charged for, but reality shows that pregnant women often pay "both at the bridge and at the bridge" - both through health insurance and through informal channels.
The authors of the research also pointed out the significant gap that exists between legal rights and their application in practice. Although the Law on Health Care and the Law on Patients' Rights guarantee the right to dignity, privacy and adequate care, the experiences of pregnant women show that these rights are often not respected, but that for this type of treatment they need to know one of the medical staff.
The newly published research included numerous experiences of women giving birth, and the largest number of negative experiences relates to the relationship of the medical staff.
Almost half of the respondents mentioned rudeness, neglect or unprofessional behavior during childbirth.
Respondents describe experiences that go beyond poor communication: pressure on the stomach without explanation, ignoring pain, denial of help with breastfeeding, and even humiliating comments.
The respondents also answered questions about the conditions in the maternity wards, the attitude of the medical staff and personal experiences during and after childbirth.
In the middle of 2025, a small victory was achieved against obstetric violence in Serbia. The working group of the line ministry created a guide which gynecologists, obstetricians and other staff would have to adhere to when examining or giving birth to a woman in Serbia.
The National Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth specifically prohibits routine enemas, as well as routine episiotomies, that is, cutting the perineum during labor that is not determined to be absolutely necessary. The list of prohibited procedures includes mandatory inductions and pressing on the stomach of pregnant women.
A small victory: Prohibited routine cutting during childbirth and sitting on the stomach
In addition to the relationship with the staff, the women also point to poor conditions in the maternity wards: lack of hot water, soap, adequate bedding, as well as poor hygiene. Overstaffing further worsens the situation, so women are often left without help at the times when they need it most.
Of particular concern is the fact that psychological support after childbirth is almost non-existent. Although about 30 percent of women report symptoms of postpartum depression, only between one and four percent of them receive any form of professional help.
The authors of the research warn that these findings cannot be interpreted as isolated cases. On the contrary, it is a recurring pattern, both in women's experiences, in the amounts paid, and in the way the system works.
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