Obstetric Violence

As part of this project, we recently published a paper on obstetric violence (OV) in the delivery room in Frontiers of Public Health. Conceptualized as the abuse and mistreatment of women during pregnancy and delivery, the issue of obsetric violence has been recognized as a threat to women’s reproductive health. It is a major barrier to women's use of health facilities, increasing the risk of preventable complications and maternal mortality. Obstetric violence is particularly humiliating, reducing women’s autonomy over their bodies and the reproductive process. Although the phenomenon is gaining worldwide attention, there is yet limited evidence of the depths and dynamics of obstetric violence in Ghana where maternal mortality is excessively high and skilled birthing is on a decline. Contributing to combatting this issue, this paper presents a facility-based, cross-sectional study of the prevalence of OV and its associated factors in the Ashanti and Western Regions of Ghana.
What is the magnitude of obstetric violence in Ghana? How does obstetric violence manifest in Ghana and which categories of women are more vulnerable to abuse? Why do healthcare professionals abuse women? How is obstetric violence perceived by healthcare workers? Does gender inequality within health systems contribute to women’s experiences of abuse? 
Link to paper