Reflections of Obstetric Violence in women's mental health: an Integrative literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: Obstetric violence (OB) is a problem that affects women's health and rights. Many women do not know what VO is and how to protect themselves. Objectives: To investigate the psychological impacts of VO in women, with emphasis on the identification of symptoms of psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety and to analyze the main scientific evidence related to VO, highlighting the prevalence, consequences and associated medical practices. Methodology: this is an Integrative Review. The literature search was carried out in the databases PubMed and BVS, using descriptors in Portuguese and English. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, resulting in a final sample of 18 scientific articles, published between 2018 and 2023, in three languages: Portuguese, English and Spanish. Results: most articles (72%) were published in Portuguese, in Brazil. The most used database was the Virtual Library of Health - BVS (56%). The highest concentration of publications occurred in the last two years, with 17% in 2023 and 39% in 2022. Most of the studies were of the transversal type (33%), followed by qualitative studies (28%). Concluding considerations: obstetric violence is a reality for many women in the world, affecting their mental health and their reproductive rights. Among the most common forms of obstetric violence are disrespect, verbal, physical and psychological abuse, unnecessary interventions and discrimination. The consequences include post-partum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, dissatisfaction with health care and loss of confidence in professionals.