Explore the vast range of titles available.

Introduction Obstetric violence, or mistreatment of women in obstetric care, can have severe consequences such as fear of future childbirth, post‐traumatic stress disorder, and depression. Material and Methods The primary objective was to estimate the prevalence of obstetric violence in high‐income countries. The secondary objective was to extract the main domains of obstetric violence perceived by women from qualitative studies. Following prospective registration (PROSPERO CRD42023468570), PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched with no restrictions. Included studies were cross‐sectional, cohort, mixed methods, and qualitative studies based on populations from high‐income countries. The review was conducted by two independent reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed. Rates of obstetric violence were pooled using random effects model, computing 95% confidence intervals (CI) and assessing heterogeneity using I2 statistic. Funnel plots and Egger's test were used to detect potential reporting biases and small‐study effects. Results Of the 1821 records screened, 25 studies were included: 14 quantitative and 2 mixed methods studies, comprising 60 987 women, and 9 qualitative studies were included, comprising an additional 4356 women. 81.25% of quantitative studies, including the quantitative component of the mixed methods studies, were considered satisfactory or better regarding risk of bias. The prevalence of obstetric violence was overall 45.3% (95% CI 27.5–63.0; I2 = 100.0%). The prevalence of specific forms of mistreatment was also estimated. Lack of access to analgesia was 17.3% (95% CI 6.9–27.7; I2 = 99.7%). Ignored requests for help was 19.2% (95% CI 11.7–26.6; I2 = 99.0%). Shouting and scolding 19.7% (95% CI 13.0–26.4; I2 = 98.7%). The use of fundal pressure during the second stage of labor (Kristeller maneuver) was 30.3% (95% CI 22.1–38.5; I2 = 97.6%). There was no funnel asymmetry. Lack of information and/or consent were the most frequent domains extracted from the qualitative articles and the qualitative component of the mixed methods studies. Conclusions The results demonstrate that obstetric violence is a prevalent problem that women in high‐income countries experience. Lack of information and/or consent were the domains most frequently described in the qualitative studies and the qualitative component of the mixed methods studies. Physical, verbal and psycho‐social obstetric violence were found to be highly prevalent in high‐income countries. Coercion and lack of information or consent were some of the domains most frequently reported by women across all study types.

High-quality obstetric delivery in a health facility reduces maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. This systematic review synthesizes qualitative evidence related to the facilitators and barriers to delivering at health facilities in low- and middle-income countries. We aim to provide a useful framework for better understanding how various factors influence the decision-making process and the ultimate location of delivery at a facility or elsewhere. We conducted a qualitative evidence synthesis using a thematic analysis. Searches were conducted in PubMed, CINAHL and gray literature databases. Study quality was evaluated using the CASP checklist. The confidence in the findings was assessed using the CERQual method. Thirty-four studies from 17 countries were included. Findings were organized under four broad themes: (1) perceptions of pregnancy and childbirth; (2) influence of sociocultural context and care experiences; (3) resource availability and access; (4) perceptions of quality of care. Key barriers to facility-based delivery include traditional and familial influences, distance to the facility, cost of delivery, and low perceived quality of care and fear of discrimination during facility-based delivery. The emphasis placed on increasing facility-based deliveries by public health entities has led women and their families to believe that childbirth has become medicalized and dehumanized. When faced with the prospect of facility birth, women in low- and middle-income countries may fear various undesirable procedures, and may prefer to deliver at home with a traditional birth attendant. Given the abundant reports of disrespectful and abusive obstetric care highlighted by this synthesis, future research should focus on achieving respectful, non-abusive, and high-quality obstetric care for all women. Funding for this project was provided by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization.

Background Postpartum depression is a common condition in the pregnancy and postpartum cycle. The development of this condition is multifactorial and can be influenced by previous traumas. This study sought to verify whether there is an association between having been exposed to mistreatment during childbirth and presenting symptoms suggestive of postpartum depression. Methods This is a cross-sectional study, with the inclusion of 287 women without complications in childbirth, randomly selected from two maternity hospitals of Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, in 2016. Four weeks after delivery, the postpartum women answered a face-to-face interview about socioeconomic aspects, obstetric history, health history, and childbirth experience (practices and interventions applied) and completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). From the perception of women regarding the practices performed in the context of childbirth care, a composite variable was created, using item response theory, to measure the level of mistreatment during childbirth. The items that made up this variable were: absence of a companion during delivery, feeling insecure and not welcome, lack of privacy, lack of skin-to-skin contact after delivery, not having understood the information shared with them, and not having felt comfortable to ask questions and make decisions about their care. To define symptoms suggestive of postpartum depression, reflecting on increased probability of this condition, the EPDS score was set at ≥ 8. Poisson Regression with robust variance estimation was used for modeling. Results Women who experienced mistreatment during childbirth had a higher prevalence of symptoms suggestive of postpartum depression (PR 1.55 95% CI 1.07–2.25), as well as those with a history of mental health problems (PR 1.69 95% CI 1.16–2.47), while higher socioeconomic status (A and B) had an inverse association (PR 0.53 95% CI 0.33–0.83). Conclusions Symptoms suggestive of postpartum depression seem to be more prevalent in women who have suffered mistreatment during childbirth, of low socioeconomic status, and with a history of mental health problems. Thus, qualifying care for women during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum and reducing social inequalities are challenges to be faced in order to eliminate mistreatment during childbirth and reduce the occurrence of postpartum depression.

The decentralization of health systems can have direct repercussions on maternity care. Some inequalities can be noted in outcomes, like neonatal and child mortality in Spain. This study aimed to make the presence of obstetric violence in Spain visible as an interterritorial equity criterion. A descriptive, restrospective and cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2018 and June 2019. The sample comprised 17,541 questionnaires, which represented all Spanish Autonomous Communities. Of our sample, 38.3% perceived having suffered obstetric violence; 44.4% perceived that they had undergone unnecessary and/or painful procedures, of whom 83.4% were not requested to provide informed consent. The mean satisfaction with the attention women received obtained 6.94 points in the general sample and 4.85 points for those women who viewed themselves as victims of obstetric violence. Spain seems to have a serious problem with public health and respecting human rights in obstetric violence. Offering information to women and requesting their informed consent are barely practiced in the healthcare system, so it is necessary to profoundly reflect on obstetric practices with, and request informed consent from, women in Spain.

Concerns about disrespect and abuse (D&A) experienced by women during institutional birth have become critical to the discourse on maternal health. The rapid growth of the field from diverse points of origin has given rise to multiple and, at times, confusing interpretations of D&A, pointing to the need for greater clarity in the concepts themselves. Furthermore, attention to measurement of the problem has been excessive when viewed in relation to the small amount of work on critical drivers of disrespect and abuse. This paper raises some key issues of conceptualisation and measurement for the field, puts forward a working definition, and explores two critical drivers of D&A - intersecting social and economic inequality, and the institutional structures and processes that frame the practice of obstetric care. By identifying gaps and raising questions about the deeper causes of D&A, we point to potentially fruitful directions for research and action.

Abstract The cisheteropatriarchal capitalist system has developed by class, racial and sexual oppression and exploitation in establishing unequal, hierarchical power relations. One of these kinds of oppression involves the use of violence against bodies considered wayward and transgressive within this structure. Of the different types of violence, this study focused on obstetric violence, understood as patriarchal gender violence designed to remove the rights, autonomy and agency of trans women and men during the processes of pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and abortion. This article reflects on obstetric violence and its impacts on homo-parenthood for lesbian women and trans men, on the understanding that the LGBTQIA+ population is one of the most vulnerable and removed from health services, mainly because of the institutional violence suffered by these bodies. Accordingly, the intention is to understand, through social and historical analysis, how these sexist, heteropatriarchal violations, interlacing and reflecting in health care for these people, generate even more forms of oppression against this population. Resumo O sistema capitalista e cisheteropatriarcal se desenvolveu através da opressão e exploração de classe, raça e sexo no estabelecimento de relações desiguais e hierarquizadas de poder, e uma dessas opressões é o uso da violência contra os corpos considerados errantes e transgressores dentro dessa estrutura. Dentre os diversos tipos de violência, o foco deste estudo está na violência obstétrica, compreendida como uma violência patriarcal de gênero que visa a retirada de direitos, autonomia e protagonismo de mulheres e homens trans durante o período gestacional, do parto e puerpério ou em processos de abortamento. Esse artigo tem como objetivo refletir sobre a violência obstétrica e seu impacto nas homoparentalidades de mulheres lésbicas e de homens trans, pois compreende-se que a população LGBTQIA+ é uma das mais vulnerabilizadas e que está mais distante dos serviços de saúde, justamente pela violência institucional que acomete esses corpos. Dessa forma, pretende-se compreender, através de uma análise social e histórica, como os atravessamentos dessas violações sexistas e heteropatriarcais se entrelaçam e refletem na assistência à saúde dessas pessoas, gerando ainda mais formas de opressão contra essa população.

Objective Obstetric violence is an often overlooked obstacle to quality maternal health care service utilization. In the study setting, there was limited evidence on obstetric violence. Hence, this study aimed at assessing the prevalence and associated factors of obstetric violence among women who gave birth in Gondar University Specialized Comprehensive Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. Results A total of 409 women had been participated in the study with a response rate of 100%. Three in four (75.1%) women reported that they had been subjected to at least one form of obstetric violence during labor and delivery with 95% CI (70.9–79.0). The reported forms of obstetric violence include non-consented care—260 (63.6%), non-dignified care—226 (55.3%), physical abuse—192 (46.9%), non-confidential care—132 (32.3%, neglected care—52 (12.7%) and discriminated care—38 (9.3%). On the contrary, none of the respondent had reported detention for failure to pay in the hospital. The multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that urban residents (AOR = 1.89; 95% CI 1.11, 3.22) and primary school attendants (AOR = 0.49; 95% CI 0.27, 0.91) were significantly associated with experiencing obstetric violence. This study indicated the high prevalence of obstetric violence. Thus, interventions need to be undertaken by taking the reported forms of obstetric violence and participants’ sociodemographic status in to account.

Abstract This article aims to know the perception of women on obstetric violence from a racial perspective. This was a qualitative study carried out in a public maternity hospital with 25 women in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observation from November 2021 to February 2022. Content analysis was used to organize the data obtained through the interviews. The results were analyzed through the theoretical contributions of intersectionality, focusing on the interaction between obstetric violence and obstetric racism. The narratives discuss issues of obstetric violence, institutional racism, and how these experiences are permeated by issues of race, gender, and class. Questions related to the feelings of these women regarding the experience of violence at the time of childbirth care were also highlighted. Obstetric racism denies reproductive rights and hinders access to respectful and equitable care for black women. Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é conhecer a percepção de mulheres sobre a violência obstétrica em uma perspectiva racial. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa realizada em uma maternidade pública, com 25 mulheres, no município de Salvador, Bahia, Brasil. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas e observação participante, no período de novembro de 2021 a fevereiro de 2022. Utilizou-se, para organização dos dados obtidos através das entrevistas, a análise de conteúdo. Os resultados foram analisados através das contribuições teóricas da interseccionalidade, tendo como foco a interação entre violência obstétrica e racismo obstétrico. As narrativas discorrem sobre questões da violência obstétrica, racismo institucional, e como essas vivências são permeadas pelas questões de raça, gênero e classe. Foram apontadas também questões relacionadas aos sentimentos dessas mulheres frente a vivência da violência no momento da assistência ao parto. O racismo obstétrico nega os direitos reprodutivos e dificulta o acesso a uma assistência respeitosa e equânime as mulheres negras.

Background Few researches have focused on obstetric violence in the Asia-Pacific region, necessitating an understanding of the current situation of obstetric violence and exploration of factors influencing its occurrence. This study aimed to investigate the current status and influencing factors of obstetric violence. Methods We used a modified obstetric violence questionnaire to understand the status of obstetric violence in women and the objective sampling method to select qualified interviewees for face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews. Results Seven hundred twenty-one women completed the online questionnaire, among whom 10 women participated in the in-depth interview. The current prevalence of obstetric violence was 51.6% ( n  = 372), with verbal violence being the most common type (82.0%, n  = 305). In binary logistic regression analysis, living in countryside [OR (95% CI) = 0.592 (0.402–0.872)], private hospitals [OR (95% CI) = 0.422 (0.233–0.765)], multiparas [OR (95% CI) = 0.405 (0.273–0.601)], and having a family member accompaniment during delivery in the labor room [OR (95% CI) = 0.324 (0.177–0.59], having prenatal maternal education [OR (95% CI) = 0.583 (0.393–0.865)], and active expression of needs during childbirth [OR (95% CI) = 0.415 (0.252–0.685)] were protective factors for obstetric violence. Maternal or family members having workplace violence against medical staff during childbirth [OR (95% CI) = 5.642 (2.148–14.818)], and familiarity with obstetric violence [OR (95% CI) = 2.138 (1.360–3.360)] were risk factors for obstetric violence. Based on family support during adolescence, the risk of obstetric violence in the “Strongly supportive” group was only 0.029 times that of the “Very unsupportive” control group. Women in other age groups are at higher risk of obstetric violence than women aged ≥ 45 years. The qualitative research has analyzed five themes: needs to be strengthened humanistic care, process that needs optimization, culture of obstetric violence, needs to be strengthened human resources, and needs to be strengthened medical facilities. Conclusion The current incidence of obstetric violence is moderately common level, multilevel measures are urgently needed. Efforts should focus on promoting the coverage of the “Internet + Prenatal Education” program in rural areas to raise maternal awareness. Concurrently, training for medical staff should be enhanced, and preventive measures should be incorporated into healthcare quality assessment systems.

Aim In this study, we aimed to examine women’s birth experiences in the context of obstetric violence. Design & method This is a qualitative study examining women’s birth experiences phenomenologically. The research data were collected from 25 pregnant women who visited the Training and Research Hospital Electronic Fetal Monitorization outpatient clinic who were in the last trimester of pregnancy and who had previously given birth vaginally. Descriptive information form and semi-structured interview form were used for data collection. A thematic content analysis approach was used to analyze the data. Thematic content analysis was performed based on the obstetric severity classification proposed by Bohren et al. and Bowser and Hill. MAXQDA 20 software program was used to code the data. Results Women’s birth experiences were grouped under three themes linked to obstetric violence: dignified care, loss of autonomy, abandonment in care. Under these themes, eight categories were created: physical violence, verbal violence, deprivation of privacy, it was as if I did not exist, the medicalization of childbirth, intimidation/threatening with bad consequences to get what they wanted, midwives were like robots, I felt forgotten. Conclusion It was determined that women were exposed to different types of obstetric violence during the delivery process. In order to prevent obstetric violence, it is important to increase the awareness of midwives, obstetricians, and care recipients on the issue and to solve structural problems such as lack of resources.