Violência obstétrica: para além do parto

Abstract

This article aims to portray the different forms of Obstetric Violence suffered by women at the time of childbirth, with a realistic perception of motherhood within the scope of Brazilian law and the consequences of suffering in the midst of sexist practices rooted in medical care. Intrinsic to society is the myth of female fulfillment through motherhood, the consummation of the feminine through a procreating role and, paradoxically, the continuous struggle for forms that truly emancipate them. Since pregnancy is part of a woman’s life cycle, the data point to the need for reflection on the definition and terminology of obstetric violence, preferably in legal documents that criminalize it. Such conceptualization will help in identifying and coping with these situations that until then were naturalized. Violence against pregnant, parturient or puerperal women manifests itself in different forms and levels, occurring in a cyclical manner, from the gestational period to the postpartum period. The pregnancy process is also a process of resistance, in which the woman fights not to trivialize the body, which is often used as an object of study and learning, when care reduces women, within an asymmetrical doctor-patient relationship, of unequal subjects from the point of view of technical-scientific authority. It is through the use of qualitative methodology, through exploratory documentary research (laws, reports, jurisprudence) and bibliography (books, articles), that this study aims to seek normative recognition for the forms of Obstetric Violence faced by women, aiming to an environment in which they can feel safe and respected at the time of delivery, since violence is also characterized by the fact that it is carried out routinely and often unnecessarily by obstetrics centers and maternity hospitals. Furthermore, with the pretext of minimizing risks and pain, constant advances in medicine have transformed childbirth into an extremely medicalized event, tarnishing a moment that lacks security, respect and joy in receiving a new life. When there is a delay in identifying that they were victims of this violence, combined with a lack of support, not only emotional or moral, but also legal, these women are disembodied, prevailing an objectification of their bodies for not having their role respected.