Violencia obstétrica. Artículo de revisión

Abstract

Violence against women, at any stage of life, constitutes a violation of their human rights and their fundamental freedom, which is why there is a broad international legal framework that supports and protects against violence related to reproductive health. The concept of obstetric violence is relatively new and still modestly conceptualized, related almost exclusively to the period of childbirth. Obstetric violence is understood as any form of violence that a woman goes through during pregnancy and the birth process. It includes all physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, labor, or economic damage to women and coercion or the arbitrary deprivation of their freedom. Institutionalization, excessive medication, lack of information related to procedures, and medical paternalism that may occur before, during and after delivery, have led to the submission of the pregnant woman to daily abuse by health personnel; becoming a problem of public health and human rights, which is defined as obstetric violence. This document presents a review of the topic. LUXMÉDICA, AÑO 14, NÚMERO 41, MAYO-AGOSTO 2019, PP 43-58.