Author(s)

Violette Perrotte¹, Arun Chaudhary¹, Annekathryn Goodman^2*

¹Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Yawkey, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Obstetric violence or disrespect and abuse in childbirth is a worldwide phenomenon that takes on various forms, from absence of informed consent to physical harm. The objective of this review is to assess prevalence and root causes of obstetric violence in different countries, and potential solutions to address disrespect and abuse in childbirth. The review finds that obstetric violence is rooted in a patriarchal understanding of gender stereotypes and is exacerbated by power dynamics between health professionals and patients, especially for minorities. Obstetric violence has a long-lasting impact on women’s lives and can jeopardize subsequent decisions to access healthcare services.

Obstetric Violence, Disrespect and Abuse, Childbirth, Women

Perrotte, V. , Chaudhary, A. and Goodman, A. (2020) “At Least Your Baby Is Healthy” Obstetric Violence or Disrespect and Abuse in Childbirth Occurrence Worldwide: A Literature Review. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 10, 1544-1562. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2020.10110139.