Obstetric violence: A new legal term introduced in Venezuela

Obstetric violence: a new framework for identifying challenges to maternal healthcare in Argentina

“…20 Such negligence may be a result of institutional discrimination or general failure of the health system, such as a lack of beds or overtaxed health professionals. 21 The Supreme Court of Argentina has ruled that denial of access to abortion services to women pregnant as a consequence of rape may constitute institutional violence, clarifying that the routine of requesting judicial authorization is unconstitutional, since no law requires such authorization. Finally, the court proclaimed that the continuation of this practice would render the state responsible for institutional violence against women.…”

Promoting respect and preventing mistreatment during childbirth

“…Many professional societies, international organisations and civil society groups have recently highlighted the need to address this problem, and promote respectful care practices at birth 4, 6, 7. The White Ribbon Alliance leads a global campaign to promote respectful maternity care 4.…”

“…For example, the terminology used to describe mistreatment of women at birth in different parts of the world is variable, including terms such as ‘disrespect and abuse’, ‘obstetric violence’ and ‘dehumanised care’ 7, 11, 12. This is due in part to cultural and linguistic differences, normative behaviours,13 as well as different research methods that have been used to document these experiences.…”

Obstetric violence in South Africa

“…A wide range of problematic practices have been associated with these terms, including neglect, verbal and emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, lack of confidential and consensual care, and the inappropriate, non-evidence-based use of medical interventions, including routine episiotomies, routine inductions, preventing labour companions, and unnecessary caesarean sections. [9,10] The concept of obstetric violence emerged in the 2000s in Latin America and Spain as an extension of the activist struggle to humanise and demedicalise childbirth and empower women and girls during pregnancy, labour and birth. It emerged as a legal term in Venezuela in 2007 and was adopted by Argentina in 2009 and by Mexico in 2014.…”

“…[9] The use of the controversial term 'obstetric violence' over more neutral labels such as 'mistreatment' is part of a deliberate move to confront problematic practices, which have often been hidden, invisible and unacknowledged, as forms of violence. For activists and practitioners in Latin American contexts, aggressive, humiliating and disrespectful treatment of women and girls during labour and birth is part of broader and entrenched gender violence and social inequalities of race, class, age and ethnicity.…”