Today, November 25, the International Day against Gender Violence is celebrated, a date to reflect and fight against all forms of violence against women, which includes the obstetric violence.
Every woman has the right to have a respected birth and decide on what she wants and does not want for her birth, decide on her body and the interventions that will be performed. Abuse and disrespect for women at the time of delivery is also considered a form of gender violence.
It is the violence exerted by health professionals on women who come to them, to receive attention during the physiological processes of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.
The birth of a child is a time of extreme vulnerability in which the woman and the baby deserve all the respect in the world. Putting himself above his desires, the abuse of power, the threats, the misinformation, preventing the mother from deciding with the excuse that it is "for her own good" is a way of nullifying her.
Unjustified practices such as immobilization during labor, systematic bag breakage, unnecessary caesarean sections or default episiotomies also constitute a violation of your rights.
Many women feel battered in childbirth care. Not only do I mean the bad ways, but also, but everything I mentioned earlier, practicing interventions without your consent, nullifying your ability to decide and, of course, not respecting the rights of the newborn, such as non- separation from the mother.
As mistreatment of women, obstetric violence should be considered a form of gender violence. Unfortunately there is little awareness in society about this type of violence, but it exists and is as denouncible as any other.
