THE ROLE OF THE NURSE IN THE PREVENTION OF AND CARE REGARDING OBSTETRIC VIOLENCE

Abstract

Obstetric violence is a serious violation of human rights and female dignity, making nursing care essential to ensure safe, respectful, and humanized care during childbirth. The objective of this study is to describe the role of nurses in the prevention of and care regarding obstetric violence. This is a narrative literature review with a qualitative approach and descriptive nature, conducted in the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and Google Scholar databases, covering publications between 2015 and 2025. From an initial survey of 739 records, 27 were evaluated in full, and 10 scientific articles comprised the final synthesized sample. The studies indicate that obstetric violence manifests primarily through unnecessary interventions, care negligence, violent communication, and disrespect for the parturient woman's autonomy. The nurse's role stands out through welcoming care, qualified listening, the application of non-pharmacological methods for pain relief, educational guidance, and advocacy for women's rights and empowerment throughout labor and birth. The strategic and transformative role of nursing in deconstructing interventionist practices and consolidating humanized care is highlighted. Strengthening the ethical and technical training of professionals, as well as the structural adequacy of health services, is essential to ensure safe, empathetic, and woman-centered care.