The nature of obstetric violence and the organisational context of its manifestation in India: a systematic review

Over the last decades, the Indian government has adopted several strategies and programmes to encourage institutional childbirth and reduce maternal mortality. However, ensuring institutional delivery does not of itself ensure safe and dignified delivery and there are frequently episodes of violence during childbirth. Obstetric violence has long-term adverse effects on the health and well-being of women. The present study attempts to understand the nature of obstetric violence and the organisational contexts in which patterns of violent behaviours and actions emerge and are reproduced, contributing to obstetric violence. A database search for literature was conducted on PubMed and studies on women’s experience during childbirth in health facilities in India were selected, based on the inclusion criteria. The present review’s findings show that the most prevalent form of obstetric violence is verbal abuse followed by physical abuse and other dehumanising behaviour. Women from lower castes, Muslim communities, and low-income families were shown to be more likely to encounter dehumanising and neglectful behaviour from care providers in public health facilities. Obstetric violence during childbirth arises from encounters between care providers and women at an individual level, health system failures, and an abusive institutional atmosphere and culture. The abusive environment in health facilities fosters fear about facility care among women, contributes to worsened health outcomes, and deters women from further utilisation of health care services. Therefore, along with expanding institutional births and access to emergency obstetric care, measures should be taken to ensure dignified and caring treatment of women during childbirth.