Dear users, if you are aware of relevant global research that is not included in our database and relates to obstetric violence, we invite you to write to us. We accept open-source research from any country in the world. Your collaboration is essential to enrich our collection and support researchers worldwide. Likewise, if you find any errors, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
CANADA
Mayra, K., Austin, T., Reddy, B., & Vedam, S. (2025). An Illicit Way to Elicit Public Health Responses to Obstetric Violence: Poetic Inquiry of Open-Ended Survey Data. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251339991 (Original work published 2025)
In summary, our case study illustrates that with large amounts of qualitative data with shorter phrases, it is possible for researchers to go beyond qualitative content analysis and achieve a meaning making process through the use of VCRM. It is also particularly useful for qualitative data that addresses sensitive subjects. The use of poetic inquiry as an arts-based research method, with VCRM’s emphasis on language and words, is particularly impactful for its ability to stir people’s emotions (Leavy, 2020; McKenzie, 2021). We present our research of obstetric violence, a significant global health issue, while using an arts-based research methodology, to generate the maximum impact and inspire stakeholders to take action. We note that VCRM is particularly effective for sensitive data. In our experience, community partners connect with and find the poems an impactful means of sharing research. The violent and traumatic nature of obstetric violence experiences becomes clearer as obstetric violence research expands from traditional quantitative and qualitative research methods, to arts-based exploration. The rawness and reality of obstetric violence can be discomforting, methods such as poetic inquiry can intensify its urgency and calls to action.
Nicole Hill - Journal of the Motherhood Initiative
Obstetric violence—the mistreatment or abuse of individuals during pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum by healthcare providers and institutions—is increasingly recognized as a form of institutionalized gendered violence that violates women's rights. This article applies a matricentric feminist perspective, arguing that obstetric violence is not only violence against women but also violence against mothers. Using personal experiences and research, the author explores how discourses of "good" and "bad" motherhood" contribute to the silencing and invisibility of obstetric violence. The study highlights how motherhood can be weaponized to sustain harmful practices and discusses the implications of framing obstetric violence as a form of systemic violence against mothers.
Nicole Hill - Journal of the Motherhood Initiative
Obstetric violence—the mistreatment or abuse of individuals during pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum by healthcare providers and institutions—is increasingly recognized as a form of institutionalized gendered violence that violates women's rights. This article applies a matricentric feminist perspective, arguing that obstetric violence is not only violence against women but also violence against mothers. Using personal experiences and research, the author explores how discourses of "good" and "bad" motherhood" contribute to the silencing and invisibility of obstetric violence. The study highlights how motherhood can be weaponized to sustain harmful practices and discusses the implications of framing obstetric violence as a form of systemic violence against mothers.
Maud Arnal - The Birth Controversy - Work, Gender, and Societies No. 39 – April 2018
Feminist theoretical reflections on motherhood, as highlighted in the recent special issue "Rethinking Motherhood from a Feminist Perspective" published in the journal Genre, Sexualité et Société, are far from converging [Cardi et al., 2016]. The debate on the medicalization of childbirth is equally divided. In these discussions, where feminists take opposing positions—either in favor of or against the medicalization of childbirth—I aim to demonstrate, first, that there is a plurality of controversies, and second, that these debates are tied to conflicting interests that are often concealed beneath theoretical arguments.
Colleen Varcoe, Helen Brown, Betty Calam, Thelma Harvey, and Miranda Tallio
Aboriginal women’s birth outcomes are poorly understood in the context of historical, economic, and social factors. This study, involving over 100 rural Aboriginal women, found that limited maternity care, racism, and economic challenges created distressing childbirth experiences. Their experiences are shaped by rural conditions, colonization, and efforts toward self-determination and cultural revitalization. Women’s experiences and birth outcomes could be significantly improved if healthcare providers understood and acknowledged the diverse ways in which historical and ongoing colonization has shaped the health and healthcare experiences of Aboriginal people. Practitioners who contextualize Aboriginal women’s birth outcomes can provide better care in every interaction, particularly by enhancing women's autonomy, choice, and control over their experiences. Efforts to improve maternity care must address the social and historical roots of health inequities, as these are essential to ensuring more equitable and respectful care.
Roxana Behruzi, Marie Hatem, Lise Goulet, William Fraser, and Chizuru Misago
This study applies organizational culture theory to examine humanized birth practices in a specialized hospital in Montreal, Canada. Using Allaire and Firsirotu’s framework, it analyzes how social and cultural factors shape birth practices and women’s choices, identifying barriers and facilitators to improving maternity care. To ensure optimal maternity care, public health stakeholders must understand childbirth practices across different organizations and ensure they align with the needs of women and their families. While the theoretical framework of this study may not encompass all organizational dimensions influencing care quality, it can still highlight key aspects of humanized birth care and identify facilitating factors and barriers in highly specialized hospitals.