How to prevent obstetric violence

The obstetric violence is one of the evils that afflict women solely by the fact of having vagina and uterus; This type of violence is related to the ability of women to have children. Let us understand, before continuing with the text, that not all women have to be able (or want to) have children to be considered women ; but it is true that they must be pregnant and give birth to suffer obstetric violence .

When we speak of obstetric violence, we refer to a specific violence suffered by women during pregnancy or childbirth , by which they are prevented from deciding how they want to carry out the entire process of pregnancy and even the subsequent delivery. It is decided for them, always claiming that their health is protected , or that it is a matter of preventing possible subsequent injuries; however, what is being done is to directly attack their ability to decide, limiting it.

It can be given in many ways. There is talk of obstetric violence when a woman is prevented from enjoying certain types of food without an important medical recommendation involved, for example; or when, during childbirth, the specialists decide for the woman the type of delivery she is going to have without her being able to even say a word. It is true that there are circumstances in which medical criteria must prevail , but always attending to the needs and requests of women as far as possible.

Obstetric violence does not occur only from the medical service, but can also occur from family members or friends . The pregnant woman’s husband or wife may try to make decisions for her that are really only up to the pregnant woman. Like, for example, how the birthing process should take place. If the woman wants to give birth in water , that must be fully taken into account, regardless of what her partner thinks about it.. She is the one who must decide, always, and the doctors are the ones who must adjust to her requests as far as possible; There are health reasons that may lead to a cesarean section being necessary, for example, to save the lives of both the mother and the baby, even though she does not want to perform it. But we are not talking about cases like this.

WAYS TO PREVENT THIS VIOLENCE

Can you, as a pregnant woman, prevent this type of violence? Of course, although it will not always be easy . Sometimes you will have to face the opposition of some members of your family who you consider important. The basic and fundamental thing is that you are always clear that the one who is pregnant is you and, therefore, the one who decides about this process is you.

To prevent people from commanding you, or taking more liberties than you may see fit, what you must do is show yourself secure in your convictions . If you have studied about it, if you have read books and have been informed, and what you want is to have a totally natural birth, at home, and accompanied by a midwife, do it. It doesn’t matter that your partner disagrees; Make him understand that it is something that you must decide on your own, no matter how much he or she is part of your life. Because childbirth is a very intimate moment between you and the baby, and you must be the one to decide how to carry it out.

This does not imply that, to prevent obstetric violence, you start to ignore all the suggestions. What’s more, the more suggestions, the better it will be for you and your baby. But you must be clear that they are only suggestions, and that no one should ever decide for you. Do not feel coerced , do not feel threatened, and always remember that, above all, it is your body.

OBSTETRIC VIOLENCE IN THE HOSPITAL

The most difficult thing will undoubtedly be to prevent this type of violence in the hospital environment. Because there you will find yourself surrounded by doctors who, due to the specific studies they have had in this regard, will know more than you about practically everything related to childbirth and pregnancy. This implies, necessarily, that they will have a position of superiority that no one can evade ; They will know that they are above you and, therefore, will try to take care of you and protect you accordingly. This, in itself, is very positive; they will always look for the best for you. The problem is that sometimes they will look for the best for you without taking into account what it is that you want.

What is the best thing you can do in these cases, then? Surround yourself with the medical professionals that best suit what you are looking for , and always explain to the people around you what you want. How do you want to carry your pregnancy, how do you want the delivery to be, if you want a lot of people to accompany you in the joint or have the minimum medical staff possible, if you prefer to record the whole process … Try to decide between the two (you and the professional) what the delivery in question will be like. Cesarean section may be the last of your electives , and if so, you should let them know up front. You may not want an epidural, or any kind of painkiller, and you should also tell them from the beginning. In this way, they will better take care of everything you may require.

As we have already pointed out, there are times when what you want should remain in the background , since your health could depend on the doctors making the right decision. Although you could end up noticing it as obstetric violence, as something violent towards your person, there are cases in which there really is no other choice. Even so, whenever you notice that your decision has not been taken into account, do not hesitate for a second to shout to the sky . Because your case could help reduce obstetric violence cases tomorrow.

Above all, always remember that your decision is important , regardless of whether you are not an expert. Because you are facing something that you will only live once in your life, that you will remember forever, and that you do not want to be hurt by thinking about it. Always think of yourself and your baby.