Obstetric violence is a term that is commonly used to describe the medical mistreatment and abuse of pregnant and birthing mothers. While many people think this phenomenon is uncommon, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data reveals that 20% of women (1 in 5) report experiencing mistreatment while receiving obstetric and delivery care.
Keep reading to learn how to identify obstetric violence and what to do when it happens, so you can start preparing for a smooth and successful birth experience.
The History of Violence Against Pregnant and Delivering Patients
Historically in America, the attitude towards patients who are pregnant or in active labor has been poor. Many mothers are treated like passive participants in their own birthing process, with providers making decisions on their behalf without first obtaining consent or considering their comfort.
In the late 19th century, when interventions like forceps delivery and episiotomies became routine, women were rarely consulted before performing these procedures.
Understanding the Different Types of Obstetric Violence
Violence to pregnant and laboring women can take many forms, including:
Physical Violence
Physical violence against a pregnant or laboring mother may include forceful medical interventions, physical or chemical restraint, failure to provide appropriate pain relief, and outright abuse.
Medical Neglect
Medical neglect includes serious and even life-threatening inaction, like failing to monitor vital signs or respond to complications in a timely manner.
Emotional Manipulation or Abuse
Medical providers with a negative attitude towards the patient and/or who intimidate, demean, and belittle them are engaging in psychological abuse that can have devastating consequences for mothers after birth.
Coercion and Failure to Obtain Informed Consent
This involves performing procedures (even minor ones) without fully informing the patient or obtaining a signed consent form. It also includes trying to pressure or coerce patients to agree to a specific procedure, especially if it’s not wanted or needed.
Discrimination
Minority groups, particularly Black women and other women of color, often experience additional layers of obstetric violence via discrimination. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the maternal mortality rate for Black women in America is about 3 times higher than the rate for white women.
How Does Obstetric Violence Affect Patients?
The impact of obstetric violence on mothers can be serious and long-lasting. Women often experience physical health consequences, like critical infections and chronic pain, as well as markedly higher rates of postpartum depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Many mothers who have experienced this type of violence lose their trust in healthcare providers, which can discourage them from seeking medical care in the future for themselves or their family members.
How to Recognize Obstetric Violence
Knowing how to recognize obstetric violence is the key to protecting yourself or a loved one during birth and pursuing justice after violence occurs. Important signs to look for include:
- Providers with a dismissive attitude or who fail to listen to your needs. Healthcare professionals may shrug off a patient’s concerns or deprioritize her experience in favor of convenience.
- Providers that use manipulative or coercive tactics. This includes pressuring mothers to undergo interventions or medical procedures that are unnecessary or against their wishes.
- Providers who perform procedures without your consent. Even if a procedure is critically needed, healthcare professionals must inform you of the benefits and risks and give you the choice to opt in or out.
- Providers who use force or restraints. Any use of physical restraints or force to keep a patient in a certain place or position is a severe form of obstetric violence.
What to Do After Obstetric Violence
Experiencing obstetric violence can be distressing. The first step is sharing your experience with trusted people in your life who can provide you with emotional support. You can also file a complaint with the hospital or clinic that harmed you.
However, neither of these actions can help pay for therapy, ongoing medical care, and any other resources you may need to manage the impact of the circumstances you were put in through no fault of your own.
When to Contact an Experienced Cleveland Birth Injury Attorney
Obstetric violence has no place during labor and delivery. If you or a loved one were ignored, restrained, or abused by a medical professional during the birth of a child, our experienced and compassionate Cleveland birth injury attorneys are here to help you get the financial compensation you deserve.
To schedule your free initial consultation and learn more about your legal rights, contact our office at (440) 333-3800.