From caesarean section to natural childbirth, the unspoken violence

Forms and images of violence that women face daily, in different parts of the world, with different cultures and scientific, social and material levels, but one of the forms of this violence is sometimes experienced by women without realizing it, as violence during childbirth is a global phenomenon, which is practiced against women during caesarean section or natural.

Money and “flat bellies”

3 medical reports in the medical journal “The Lancet”  reveal an alarmingly high rate of cesarean deliveries worldwide.

In the last 30 years, the number of caesarean sections has more than tripled, from about 6% of all births to 21%.

Caesarean section is supposed to be the last solution and not the first option, as it can increase the chance of death by at least 60%, and in some circumstances it reaches 70%, according to studies.

But the financial difference between natural delivery and caesarean section makes some health service providers prefer caesarean section according to some studies, which prompted the study team to suggest equal wages in hospitals when performing natural or caesarean delivery to reduce those rates.

childbirth violence

The majority of women undergo, at least once, the process of childbearing, and despite the pain of labor experienced by women, some of them have a perception or awareness that natural childbirth that was used in the past , and there are also those who use it now , is painful and difficult , it is easier and safer.

Many are unaware of their systematic exposure to violence, disrespect, and mistreatment in public and private facilities throughout the world during natural childbirth.

And because neglect, physical abuse and disrespect during childbirth, is a form of violence against women, and it is a recurring situation that occurs in various parts of the world, the World Health Organization has defined this type of violence as “the appropriation of a woman’s body by health workers, in the form of Inhuman treatment, arbitrary medicalization, as well as the pathologicalization of natural processes, including women’s loss of independence and the ability to freely make decisions about their own body and sexuality, have negative consequences for women’s quality of life.”

Punching, slapping and screaming..it’s natural childbirth

Abuse of women during childbirth, also known as childbirth violence, is a global term that aroused the interest of international organizations and researchers in the medical field, so that the World Health Organization, UNICEF and a number of international organizations conducted a joint study on the matter, and concluded that about 42% of The women, in the report, said that they were subjected to physical or verbal abuse or discrimination during childbirth in health centers, with some women being punched, slapped, yelled at, mocked or pressured into force.

And there are many forms of natural childbirth violence practiced all over the world, including developed countries, according to the study, between the use of force such as pressure on the abdomen, concealment of information from the woman, and not obtaining any pain reliever, as well as excessive or inappropriate touching during childbirth or when anaesthesia .

The study indicates that childbirth violence, along with gynecological violence, is a form of abuse that affects women exclusively, and tends to be under the rug because it is still a taboo subject, so that women themselves, always, do not realize that their experiences in Natural childbirth can be considered abuse.

realization necessary

Women may not really realize that what they are exposed to during childbirth is called violence, but “Caroline Malatesta” realized this and demanded that they take their right and rehabilitate, and it was.

In 2014, “Caroline”, the American lady, was preparing to receive her fourth child, and decided that she wanted to give birth in a more natural way, as she wanted to give up medication and avoid lying on her back.

Her birth plan was unconventional by modern standards, so she chose to have the baby at Brookwood Health Center who openly declared that they would follow any birth plan the mother put in place.

Caroline developed a well-defined birth plan, according to her words in an article she wrote on the Birthmonopoly website , in which she recounts her entire experience.

She was fascinated by the idea of ​​being able to move around in the room during labour, avoiding anesthesia during delivery, medication to speed up labor, and using the traditional birthing position instead of lying on her back with her feet suspended.

And when the moment of birth came, “Caroline” discovered the contradiction between marketing and reality, as the nurse did not allow her to move during labor as she had previously agreed with her doctor, but rather forced her to lie on her back, and when she did not agree to obey, the nurses used muscle strength to keep her lying down and fix her foot on the bed. And he joined her left foot to her chest against her will, in a “struggle for power”, as Caroline described it.

Injured, suffering chronic pain called pudendal neuralgia and diagnosed with PTSD, Caroline had to file a lawsuit against the hospital, according to Healthyway .

After two years of litigation, the court unanimously ruled the jury to award Caroline $16 million in damages for violence inflicted by her medical care providers.