//Skip to content
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Obstetric Violence: The Silent Epidemic in Egypt’s Maternal Health System

May 30, 2019

I am certain every one of you can think of a pregnant mother who did not have her husband in the delivery room, couldn’t eat or drink at the hospital, was given an epidural, had to labor on her back and probably ended up meeting her baby via C-section without fully understanding the medical need for it. Obstetric violence is a systemic and institutional problem. It is so engrained in our social practices and health systems here in Egypt that we think it’s the norm; but in reality, this is an (institutional) violation of women’s rights. We have an epidemic on our hands, and up until now, you probably didn’t even know it was a problem! What is Obstetric Violence? A typical “Hollywood” image of giving birth comes to mind: a half-naked pregnant woman, with a doctor between her raised legs and exposed genitals, screaming in pain and separated from her child soon after delivery. The existing scientific literature describes obstetric violence ranging “from the denial of the comfort of a companion of choice, to lack of information about the different procedures performed during care; unnecessary cesarean sections; deprivation of…


Hi guest,

You've read all of your free articles.
Subscribe now to support independent journalism and to enjoy:


Unlimited access to all our articles

Exclusive events and offers

First access to new premium newsletters

Ability to comment on articles

Full user profile