Experiences and impacts of Obstetric violence on Indian women within the Public healthcare system

Abstract

Obstetric violence is an often overlooked obstacle to quality of health care service during childbearing and it has not received much attention in India. In this paper, our aim is to study the experiences and impacts of Obstetric violence on Indian women during the period of childbearing. A total of 256 women were interviewed in two districts (Sambalpur and Bargarh) of Odisha, India in between the age of 18 and 35 years in their latest childbirth within the last 5 years. We found that 83 women (32.4 percent) have experienced obstetric violence (Non-dignified care and physical abuses) and the prevalence is more among the women of lower caste and lower socio economic groups. Results also indicate that obstetric violence has long-lasting, chronic and fatal health consequences and many victims also reported serious deterioration in spousal and family relationship. It is a human rights problem that must be prevented and eradicated.