Obstetric violence: Another form of abuse of women and how to prevent it

Obstetric violence includes all those behaviors and actions that dehumanize and minimize women during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium. Actions that constitute another form of abuse to women and which are a reality, sometimes invisible, in many countries of the world.

Obstetric violence can be manifested through ill-treatment, humiliation or lack of information about the treatments. All this can lead to loss of freedom, autonomy and ability to freely decide on their body and sexuality.

Obstetric violence against women

Recognizing obstetric violence as gender based violence is essential to give visibility to the disrespectful and offensive treatment that many women around the world suffer during pregnancy and childbirth, violating their rights to life, health, physical integrity and non-discrimination. In 2014, the World Health Organization developed a declaration for the prevention and eradication of disrespect and abuse during childbirth in health centers.

The WHO stresses that if there is a time when women are especially vulnerable is the childbirth. Obstetric violence can have negative consequences for both the mother and the baby.

What is obstetric violence?

How to identify obstetric violence? This type of mistreatment of women is manifested: