Obstetric Trauma due to Abuse and Preventable Events: A Commentary on Definition, Classification and Qualitative Research

Violence in obstetric care is a novel area of research, because of which nomenclature is confusing and requires an internationally acceptable definition. We have suggested the term “violence in obstetric care”, with the following definition: “An event, either intentional or unintentional, that occurs during the antenatal, intrapartum or postnatal period. These events can be physical, verbal, psychosocial or negligent in nature and are caused by the actions of the HCP and experienced by the birthing woman.” We have also suggested a classification which we feel encompasses the nature, the subject, the timing and the method of this abuse/damage-based trauma. Qualitative research is a very useful approach to elicit and evaluate “lived experiences”. We suggest MeSH terms and keywords for future searches such as : Abandonment, Abuse, Anaesthesia, Analgesia, Antenatal, Breast Feeding Support, Bullying, Candour, Care Below Acceptable Standards, Coercion, Compassion, Consent, Cover-up, Damage, Dehumanisation, Disrespect, Detriment, Healthcare Professionals, Humiliation, Interpreter Services, Intrapartum, Mental Health Support, Mistreatment, Negligence, Obstetric, Omission, Partner, Physical, Postnatal, Pregnancy, Preventable, Privacy, Psychosocial, Racism, Rights, Standards of Care, Stigmatisation, Trauma, Unintentional, Violation, Verbal, Violence, Violence in Obstetric Care, Women.