Obstetric violence and gender through medicalization of the female body

Abstract

The objective of this research is to analyze the relationship between obstetric violence and two macro social phenomena: the medicalization of the female body and gender violence in Chile, in order to uncover practices that violate sexual and reproductive rights. Regarding the methods, the body was approached from a historical perspective as a social construct, legal regulations were also considered, as well as opinions and reports from international organizations and experts that typify obstetric violence as a violation of the human rights of the pregnant women; noting, on the one hand, the weak legal framework that protects pregnant women from the processes of medicalization in Chile and, on the other hand, a discourse of health personnel unable to reflect on the implications of their practices on women's sexual and reproductive rights