Obstetric violence: influences of the Senses of Birth exhibition in pregnant women childbirth experience.

Sônia Lansky,Amélia Augusta De Lima Friche,Kleyde Ventura De Souza,Bernardo Jefferson Oliveira,Nayara Figueiredo Vieira,Rosiane De Oliveira Cunha,Eliane Rezende De Morais Peixoto,Carmen Simone Grilo Diniz

doi:10.1590/1413-81232018248.30102017

Abstract

Excessive interventions during labor in Brazil have been reported as disrespect and abuse and contribute to neonatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. The Senses of Birth exhibition aims to encourage normal birth to promote health and improve the experience of childbirth in the country. This article describes the characteristics of 555 women who visited the exhibition during pregnancy and their perception of obstetric violence in childbirth. Obstetric violence was reported by 12.6% of the women, mostly low-income and unmarried. It was associated to lithotomic position and Kristeller maneuver during childbirth and non-immediate skin-to-skin contact with the baby. The main categories of obstetric violence reported were: not accepted interventions /accepted interventions on the basis of partial information (36.9%), undignified care / verbal abuse (33.0%); physical abuse (13.6%); non-confidential / non-privative care (2.9%) and discrimination (2.9%). Visiting the exhibition significantly increased pregnant women's knowledge about obstetric violence. However, recognition of obsolete or harmful practices as obstetric violence was still low. Initiatives such as Senses of Birth may contribute to increase knowledge and social mobilization to disseminate good practices in childbirth care.

Highlights

The concept of disrespect and abuse during childbirth is used internationally to designate what is called obstetric violence (OV), violence at birth, institutional or structural violence in childbirth care[1,2,3,4]. This terminology was proposed for the identification of any act of violence directed at the pregnant woman, parturient or puerperal woman or her baby, practiced during the professional assistance that means disrespect to their autonomy, physical and mental integrity, their feelings, options and preferences
This study focused on the topic of obstetric violence based on the perception about the experience of childbirth reported by the pregnant women who visited the Senses of Birth
Spontaneous report of OV by only 12.6% of the women demonstrates that there is a lack of information and underestimation of the problem

Summary

Introduction

The concept of disrespect and abuse during childbirth is used internationally to designate what is called obstetric violence (OV), violence at birth, institutional or structural violence in childbirth care[1,2,3,4]. The World Health Organization recently recognized obstetric violence in 2014 as a public health issue that directly affects women and their babies[5] It is considered obstetric violence delays in care, denial of hospitalizations in the health services, negligent care, refusal to administer analgesics, physical, verbal and / or psychological mistreatment, disrespect for privacy and freedom of choice, coercive or not consenting procedures, detention of women and their babies in health institutions, among others[5,6]. It covers the nonuse of recommended procedures as well as the use of unnecessary, non-recommended and / or obsolete procedures that may cause harm

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