Obstetric Violence: A Women’s Human and Personality Rights Violation

Abstract

Objective: The present article is aimed to analyse the phenomenon of obstetric violence as a type of violation of women’s human rights. A great incidence of physical, sexual and psychological offenses against women during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium committed by healthcare workers has been documented worldwide. Labelled as ‘obstetric violence’, this offence has been understood as a specific type of human rights violation that hampers women's sexual and reproductive rights and is committed in both public and private healthcare facilities, as well as from poor health system conditions. Nevertheless, obstetric violence is still a poorly understood phenomenon. This article will analyse how obstetric violence has been defined, measured and understood by specialists, by focusing on its concept, formats, and consequences for victims, as well as on the contributing factors that influence its occurrence. Methodology: The applied methodology was the qualitative method through documentary studies, in which primary sources and English, Spanish and Portuguese-language research publications from different fields of study were used, including public health, public international law, and human rights. Results: The paper concludes by suggesting how the international human rights framework can be used to better address obstetric violence. The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women are key treaties that establish for States Parties the obligation to pursue, by all appropriate means and without delay, a policy of eliminating discrimination and gender-based violence against women, including in the field of health. Contribution: The article has as contribution the exposure a little-known subject about obstetric violence as a type of violation of women's human rights. Keywords: Obstetric violence; abuse and mistreatment in healthcare facilities; women’s human rights violation; the medicalization of the natural process of childbirth. RESUMO Objetivo: O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar o fenômeno da violência obstétrica como tipo de violação dos direitos humanos da mulher. Vários casos de ofensas físicas, sexuais e psicológicas contra mulheres durante a gravidez, o parto e o puerpério cometidos por profissionais de saúde tem sido documentada em todo o mundo. Intitulada 'violência obstétrica', essa ofensa é entendida como um tipo específico de violação de direitos humanos que prejudica os direitos sexuais e reprodutivos das mulheres e é cometida em unidades de saúde públicas e privadas, bem como devido à condições precárias no sistema de saúde. Contudo, a violência obstétrica ainda é um fenômeno pouco compreendido. Nesse sentido, este artigo analisará como a violência obstétrica é definida, mensurada e compreendida por especialistas, concentrando-se na definição adotadas, nas formas e consequências para as vítimas, bem como nos fatores contribuintes que influenciam a sua ocorrência.Metodologia: A metodologia foi o método qualitativo, através de estudos documentais, nos quais fontes primárias e artigos científicos em inglês, espanhol e português de diferentes áreas de estudo foram utilizados, incluindo saúde pública, direito internacional público e direitos humanos. Resultados: O artigo conclui sugerindo como a estrutura internacional de direitos humanos pode ser utilizada para combater a violência obstétrica. A Convenção sobre a Eliminação de Todas as Formas de Discriminação contra as Mulheres e a Convenção Interamericana para Prevenir, Punir e Erradicar a Violência contra as Mulheres são tratados fundamentais que estabelecem para os Estados Partes a obrigação de buscar, por todos os meios apropriados e sem demora, uma política de eliminação da discriminação e da violência de gênero contra as mulheres, inclusive no campo da saúde. Contribuições: O artigo tem como contribuição a exposição de um assunto pouco conhecido sobre a violência obstétrica como tipo de violação dos direitos humanos da mulher. Palavras-chave: Violência obstétrica; abuso e maus-tratos em estabelecimentos de saúde; violação de direitos humanos das mulheres; medicalização do parto. documented worldwide. Labelled as ‘obstetric violence’, this offence has been understood as a specific type of human rights violation that hampers women's sexual and reproductive rights and is committed in both public and private healthcare facilities, as well as from poor health system conditions. Nevertheless, obstetric violence is still a poorly understood phenomenon. This article will analyse how obstetric violence has been defined, measured and understood by specialists, by focusing on its concept, formats, and consequences for victims, as well as on the contributing factors that influence its occurrence. Methodology: The applied methodology was the qualitative method through documentary studies, in which primary sources and English, Spanish and Portuguese-language research publications from different fields of study were used, including public health, public international law, and human rights. Results: The paper concludes by suggesting how the international human rights framework can be used to better address obstetric violence. The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women are key treaties that establish for States Parties the obligation to pursue, by all appropriate means and without delay, a policy of eliminating discrimination and gender-based violence against women, including in the field of health. Contribution: The article has as contribution the exposure a little-known subject about obstetric violence as a type of violation of women's human rights. Keywords: Obstetric violence; abuse and mistreatment in healthcare facilities; women’s human rights violation; the medicalization of the natural process of childbirth. RESUMO Objetivo: O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar o fenômeno da violência obstétrica como tipo de violação dos direitos humanos da mulher. Vários casos de ofensas físicas, sexuais e psicológicas contra mulheres durante a gravidez, o parto e o puerpério cometidos por profissionais de saúde tem sido documentada em todo o mundo. Intitulada 'violência obstétrica', essa ofensa é entendida como um tipo específico de violação de direitos humanos que prejudica os direitos sexuais e reprodutivos das mulheres e é cometida em unidades de saúde públicas e privadas, bem como devido à condições precárias no sistema de saúde. Contudo, a violência obstétrica ainda é um fenômeno pouco compreendido. Nesse sentido, este artigo analisará como a violência obstétrica é definida, mensurada e compreendida por especialistas, concentrando-se na definição adotadas, nas formas e consequências para as vítimas, bem como nos fatores contribuintes que influenciam a sua ocorrência.

Social Media Analysis On The Urgency Of Passing Bill Elimination Violence against Women (RUUPKS) 2022

“…Research [27] explains the phenomenon of obstetric violence as a form of violation of women's human rights. This study has explained human rights by analyzing the phenomenon of obstetric violence but has not used social media in its analysis.…”

Maternal Health and Global Attention: Appeals, Tears and Public Neglect Experiences of Mistreatment

“…Human Rights entities have recognized increasingly that several human rights are implicated in the context of women mistreatment during parturition, including the not suffering torture right, the right to privacy, right to health, right to non-discrimination and right to equality [12]. Obstetric violence can cause various kinds of physical and psychological harms to women [13,14].…”

“…In this clinical scenario, for each type of abuse, different injuries may arise as short-term or long-term consequences. Cesarean section is a common example of an often-unwanted procedure and unnecessary medical intervention which can generate physical damage [13]. Regarding the short-term consequences, researches show that caesarean section can result in blood clots and stroke, injury, infection, early postpartum hemorrhage, intense and prolonged postpartum, and obstetric shock [13,15].…”

“…Cesarean section is a common example of an often-unwanted procedure and unnecessary medical intervention which can generate physical damage [13]. Regarding the short-term consequences, researches show that caesarean section can result in blood clots and stroke, injury, infection, early postpartum hemorrhage, intense and prolonged postpartum, and obstetric shock [13,15]. Therefore, understanding the causes and dimensions of women's mistreatment during childbirth, could contribute to accelerating progress towards universal health coverage, including access to reproductive health services, since mistreatment is a fundamental barrier to women's access to these services [16].…”