We often talk about respected births and how necessary it is for this important process to take into account the health, integrity and desires of women, who are not secondary in their own birth. WHO has recently ruled on childbirth abuse, making its position clear: it must be eradicated.
Because throughout the world many women suffer disrespectful and offensive treatment during childbirth in health centers, thus truncating the right of women to respectful care. but not only that. There are practices that even endanger your life, your health, your physical integrity and the right to non-discrimination is violated.
Therefore, the lack of respect and violence in childbirth is not only a public health problem, it is also a human rights issue and WHO demands that it act more vigorously in favor of respected births, investigating and supporting professionals and women in this regard.
You can read the brief report, entitled "Prevention and eradication of disrespect and abuse during childbirth care in health centers", which begins with the following statement:
All women have the right to receive the highest level of health care, which includes the right to dignified and respectful care during pregnancy and childbirth, and the right not to suffer violence or discrimination.
The report cites research on the experiences of women in pregnancy and childbirth that reveal an alarming picture of disrespectful, offensive or negligent treatment of women during childbirth (at a time when we are especially vulnerable) in centers of health.
All women have the right to dignified and respectful care, but we remain stony reading some barbarities that take place in the delivery rooms:
obvious physical abuse, deep humiliation and verbal abuse, medical procedures without consent or coercive (including sterilization), lack of confidentiality, non-compliance with obtaining full informed consent, refusal to administer analgesics, flagrant violations of privacy, rejection of admission to health centers, negligence towards women during childbirth (resulting in life-threatening but avoidable complications), and retention of women and newborns in health centers due to their inability to pay.
The women most at risk of being disrespectful and offensive are adolescents, single women, those of low socioeconomic status, those belonging to an ethnic minority, immigrants and those with HIV, according to the document. But, What can be done to eradicate this scourge?
Increased support from governments and development partners, in relation to investigations and actions on abuse and disrespect.
Initiate, support and maintain programs designed to improve the quality of maternal health care, focusing on respectful care as an essential component of quality care.
Enhance the right of women to receive dignified and respectful health care during pregnancy and childbirth.
It is necessary to generate data related to respectful and disrespectful care practices, accountability systems and valuable professional support.
Involve stakeholders, including women, in efforts to improve the quality of care and eliminate offensive and disrespectful practices.
Hopefully the whole society is more aware of the importance of this issue, hopefully more women claim a safe and respected birth and more medical professionals have it as a priority. They are taking steps in this regard, but much remains to be done.
This WHO statement to eradicate violence in childbirth It is endorsed by more than 60 societies, NGOs and international institutions, among which are DONA LLUM (Catalan Association for a Part Respectat), El Parto Es Nuestro or the Latin American and Caribbean Network for the Humanization of Childbirth and Birth.
