Obstetric violence is a violation of women's rights perpetrated by healthcare professionals and institutions, both public and private. This form of violence encompasses situations of negligence in care, social discrimination, and verbal, physical, sexual, and psychological abuse during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period (Almeida et al., 2022). It also includes the inappropriate use of technologies, unnecessary or non–evidence-based interventions, and procedures performed without informed consent or clear explanations to the patient. In this context, the memories of pregnancy and postpartum among racialized Brazilian women remain alive at cognitive and psychological levels, generating numerous impacts on their experiences and affecting them physically, sexually, and psychologically. Drawing on an intersectional feminist epistemology and a social constructionist approach, this research aims to understand the impacts of obstetric violence on racialized Brazilian women in the context of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care within Portugal's National Health Service (SNS). Considering the intersections between migration, gender, and race, the study addresses a persistent public health issue in the country. This exploratory qualitative study, involving 10 racialized Brazilian women, highlights the physical, social, emotional, sexual, and psychological consequences experienced by these women. The violations identified include sexual and reproductive control exerted by healthcare professionals, exacerbated by ethno-racial dynamics that influence maternal care in Portugal.
Rusu et al. (Thu,) studied this question.