Diana Lopes Reflects on Obstetric Violence and Interdisciplinary Care

Diana Lopes is a physiotherapist specialising in women’s health and pelvic health, currently undertaking a secondment in Argentina as part of the IPOV-RESPECTFULCARE project

Based in Portugal, Diana is part of the clinical team at UTERUS – Saúde Integrativa da Mulher, where she works with a multidisciplinary approach to pelvic floor care, movement-based therapies, and respectful perinatal support. She also teaches in the Master’s programme in Physiotherapy at the University of Porto, where she trains future professionals in evidence-based and patient-centred care.

Her stay in Argentina is part of IPOV-RESPECTFULCARE, a project funded by the European Union’s HORIZON-MSCA-2022-Staff Exchange programme (Grant Agreement No. 101130141). This international initiative brings together professionals from diverse disciplines to address obstetric violence as a systemic issue, encouraging integrated, cross-cultural approaches to respectful maternity care.

During her time at the Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos (UNER), Diana has engaged with students, midwives, physiotherapists, and obstetricians to reflect on respectful care, non-pharmacological pain relief, and the role of movement and bodily awareness in childbirth. Her experience offers valuable insights into how physiotherapy can contribute to preventing obstetric violence and improving the quality of care throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

We share below Diana’s reflections on this enriching experience of mutual learning, clinical exchange, and international cooperation.

Diana Rodrigues: A Portuguese Physiotherapist in Argentina to Reflect on Respectful Care and Obstetric Violence

Below is the transcribed and adapted version of a video message from Diana Rodrigues, shared during her secondment in Argentina as part of the IPOV-RESPECTFULCARE project.

Hello, I’m Diana. I come from Portugal and I’m a physiotherapist specialising in women’s health and pelvic floor rehabilitation. I’m passionate about working with women. I currently work at a private clinic in Portugal called Útero – Saúde Integrativa da Mulher, where we work with a multidisciplinary team. I’m also a university lecturer in Porto, teaching in the Master’s programme in physiotherapy focused on my area of expertise.

I’m very happy to be here at UNER (Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos, Argentina), as part of a project that seeks to place obstetric violence at the centre of professional and academic discussion. This is the IPOV project, which brings together professionals from different fields to promote an integrated perspective — because we understand that obstetric violence is a systemic issue that requires a variety of approaches.

That means listening not only to women, but also to healthcare professionals, and identifying strategies not only for clinical practice but also for initial training. That’s why working with the university is so important: we need to understand how students are being educated, whether there’s room to do things differently, and whether key tools like communication and dialogue are being incorporated. These are sometimes more connected to the issue of obstetric violence than technical skills alone — which are often already well developed.

My role here at UNER is to share my experience, of course from Portugal, but also to help open up spaces for training and reflection on respectful care during childbirth. Although I’m a physiotherapist working mainly with the pelvic floor, I also focus on movement and body-based techniques. That’s why I was invited to teach in the obstetrics programme, where I speak about non-pharmacological methods for pain relief during labour, as well as pelvic floor care during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

I also led a workshop in the hospital with midwives and obstetrics/gynaecology residents, focusing on strategies to support labour progression and pain relief through non-pharmacological approaches, highlighting the key role of movement. I’ll also address this with kinesiology students, because movement can be a powerful ally — not only during pregnancy, to work on soft tissue and support body awareness, but also during labour, to help both the mother and baby move.

I’m also participating in the Pelvic Floor Diploma Programme organised by UNER, where I’ll engage with students and professionals who already work in this field. I’ll be sharing knowledge about the postpartum period, but also inviting reflection: how, even as physiotherapists, we may contribute to obstetric violence. Even if we’re not in the delivery room, we’re still in contact with these women — and our care must be respectful, both during pregnancy and after birth.

My secondment in Argentina will last for one month. I’ll begin here in Entre Ríos and then travel to Buenos Aires to visit a maternity centre that supports low-intervention and humanised birth care — something I deeply admire. I also plan to meet with advocacy organisations that are raising the voices of women who have long been silenced. I want to understand how this movement is evolving in Argentina, what challenges they face, and how I might contribute with experiences from Portugal.

Later, I’ll travel to Bariloche, where I’ll lead another workshop at the hospital alongside a local professional in this field, working with both students and obstetric/gynaecology professionals.

It’s an ambitious plan, but being in another country is always enriching. What we’re told from a distance is not the same as what we see, feel, and experience alongside people. Being here allows me to get to know the local reality, the available resources, and the specific cultural context.

I was especially impressed by the simulation centres at the university. They add significant value to the students’ training. Simulated practice prepares them better for the high-pressure clinical environment, and it also encourages reflection — because we often learn not only through doing, but also by thinking afterwards about how we did it and what could be improved.

At the same time, if we want to develop effective strategies, we must take into account the cultural particularities of each country, region, or province. Being here helps me understand what’s already in place, what is valued, and what’s still a work in progress. Sometimes, what we’re still fighting for in Portugal is already implemented here — and vice versa. Sharing what has worked in each context can inspire others facing similar challenges.

I’ve been truly inspired by how change, both in Portugal and Argentina, often comes from the commitment and willpower of women — even when resources are scarce. There are always people motivated to find creative ways to make progress. Even small steps matter. We can’t change the world overnight, but we can work to make each day a little better, and to improve the care women receive — with responsibility, ethics, and respect.

And lastly, I must say how touched I’ve been by the hospitality of the Argentine people. I’ve been warmly welcomed and deeply cared for since the first day. Of course… I’m also becoming slightly addicted to your martes! I’m very happy to be here.

Encounters that Transform: Diana Lopes at FCS-UNER

Diana Lopes, physiotherapist and specialist in women’s health and pelvic floor care, arrived from Portugal to share her expertise and engage with new perspectives at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos (FCS-UNER), in the city of Concepción del Uruguay, located at Lorenzo Sartorio 2160.

Her visit takes place within the framework of a secondment carried out as part of the IPOV RESPECTFULCARE project, funded by the European Union under the HORIZON-MSCA-2022-Staff Exchange programme.

During her stay, she participated in academic activities across various programmes at the Faculty, generating valuable exchanges with students and faculty members on comprehensive healthcare, childbirth rights, and pelvic floor approaches from a rights-based and interdisciplinary perspective.

Her secondment in Argentina also included meetings with professionals, institutional visits, and dialogue spaces that contribute to strengthening international networks committed to respectful maternal care.

In the video that follows, Diana shares her reflections on her time at FCS-UNER, what she takes from this enriching experience, and how these contributions will feed into the broader scope of the IPOV RESPECTFULCARE project, an international platform working to promote respectful and dignified care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.

Her presence reaffirms the Faculty’s commitment to training, research, and the transformation of healthcare practices through a perspective rooted in human rights and gender equity.

Disclaimer: Project IPOV RESPECTFULCARE has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON-MSCA-2022-Staff Exchange programme. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.