Obstetric Violence from the Perspectives of Midwifery and Nursing Students

The aim of this study is to determine the views and experiences of midwifery and nursing students about obstetric violence during the birth process. This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted with 201 midwifery and nursing students studying at a university and taking part in labor between January and May 2023. “Personal Information Form”, “Obstetric Violence Diagnosis Form” and “Witnessing Obstetric Violence Form” developed by the researchers were used to collect data. The mean age of the participants was 22.14±2.28, and 40.3% were studying in nursing and 59.7% in midwifery. 59.2% of the students took an active role in the birth process. Midwifery students defined the types of violence more than nursing students: "routine enema, perineal shaving and amniotomy", "restriction of the movements/gait of the pregnant", "application of fundal pressure", "prohibition of eating and drinking during the birth process" and "giving baby food without permission". It was determined that midwives mostly witnessed "prohibition of eating and drinking during labor (85%)" and "blaming the pregnant woman in case of insufficient pushing (83.3%)", while the nurses witnessed "frequent vaginal examinations performed by different people (67.9%)" and "prohibition of accompanying persons (66.7%)". In this study, it was seen that midwifery and nursing students did not have enough awareness of obstetric violence. In midwifery and nursing education, it is thought that giving education to provide respectful care to the mother during the birth process will contribute to the prevention of obstetric violence and the positive birth experience of mothers.