Obstetric Violence: What Is It? An Overview Of Its Status, Challenges and Potential Solutions

The concept of obstetric violence has gained notoriety in recent years thanks to feminist and women's health movements, who seek to highlight the high rates of violent behavior directed towards pregnant women, in labor and postpartum and perpetrated by health personnel. This policy brief explores the various definitions of the term Obstetric Violence, its historical roots, the prevalence of the phenomenon in different countries and regions, its causes, consequences, and the theoretical and practical solutions proposed by the actors most involved in the field. A conceptual framework that addresses Obstetric Violence from a human rights perspective and interventions that increase accountability mechanisms within health facilities stand as useful alternatives to advance in this challenge.