OBSTETRIC VIOLENCE AND THE URGENCY OF HUMANIZING CHILDBIRTH

Abstract

Obstetric violence is a significant public health issue characterized by abusive practices, unnecessary interventions, and violations of women's autonomy in childbirth care. This study aimed to analyze obstetric violence by identifying its determining factors, main abusive practices, moments of vulnerability, and coping strategies, with emphasis on the humanization of care and the role of nursing. This is a descriptive bibliographic review with a qualitative approach, based on scientific publications from 2020 to 2025 retrieved from LILACS, MEDLINE, BDENF, and Google Scholar databases. The results showed that obstetric violence is associated with structural, cultural, and institutional determinants, supported by a technocratic and interventionist care model, and manifested through unnecessary clinical interventions, verbal and psychological abuse, neglect, and lack of informed consent, especially during labor. The discussion highlighted that the humanization of care and nursing practice are key strategies to address this issue, promoting woman-centered care, respect for rights, and evidence-based practices. It is concluded that transforming the care model requires ethical, cultural, and institutional changes, as well as strengthening public policies and professional training to ensure safer, more humane, and violence-free care.