CONTRIBUTIONS OF NURSES TO WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT IN REDUCING OBSTETRIC VIOLENCE

Abstract

Obstetric violence represents a serious public health problem, involving abusive practices that compromise the physical and emotional health of women. Women's empowerment stands out as a fundamental strategy for strengthening autonomy and preventing these situations. In this context, nursing plays an essential role in promoting humanized care, welcoming, health education, and defending reproductive rights during the pregnancy-puerperium cycle. This study aims to analyze the role of nurses in women's empowerment, identifying obstetric violence and practices that promote humanized gestational protagonism. The literature review used articles published between 2020 and 2025, searched in the SciELO, LILACS, and Google Scholar databases, addressing obstetric violence, humanized care, women's empowerment, and the role of the obstetric nurse. Obstetric violence involves verbal and physical aggression, negligence, and procedures performed without consent, causing emotional impacts such as anxiety, postpartum depression, and traumatic stress. In this context, the nurse plays a fundamental role in promoting humanized childbirth, offering support, active listening, emotional support, and clear information to the pregnant woman. Furthermore, they work to defend female autonomy, encourage women's empowerment, and prevent abusive practices, contributing to ethical, safe, respectful care centered on the needs of the parturient throughout the pregnancy and postpartum period. It is concluded that obstetric violence remains a significant public health problem, causing physical, emotional, and psychological impacts on women. Promoting humanized childbirth and the role of nursing professionals, guided by welcoming attitudes, respect for autonomy, and the defense of rights, are essential for safe, ethical, and humane care.