Nurses likely to subject women to Obstetric Violence during pregnancy and child birth

A survey by Nguvu Collective has found that 83% of women experienced OBV, which refers to various forms of mistreatment and abuse that women go through during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. 

The violence, which undermines women’s right in seeking health services ranges from verbal abuse, physical abuse, forced procedures, withholding information, ignoring or dismissing concerns, denial of care, lack of privacy and dignity, discrimination, and failure to follow protocols. 

OBV has been found to not only have effects on the physical and mental wellbeing of mothers, but also resulting in infant death and other long-term negative impact on the child's health and development.

An April 2024 report by Nguvu collective shows that nurses are leading perpetrators of OBV, as named by victims. 

46.2% of women in the survey reported having experienced OBV from nurses, while 22% Doctors/Obstetrician/Gynecologists subjected them to violence. 

Another 17.1% of the respondents said that the OBV was from support staff such as receptionists and cleaning staff, while 13.8% of the women were violated by multiple providers in the health sector. 

The report also found that 58.9% of the women subjected to OBV were seeking maternal health services in public hospitals, 16.4% in private hospitals, 4.8(11) at Mission/Faith Based Hospitals, 4.2% at a Health Centre, and 2.1%(4) in maternal clinics.

Further, it shows that most women (54.6%) were subjected to the OBV during child birth, 27% during pregnancy, and 13.5% were violated during the postpartum period. 

Out of the 27 counties that were represented in the survey, women from Nairobi (40%), Vihiga (10%), and Kiambu (7%) experienced the most violence.

The report found that disregard of a woman’s need and pain, verbal abuse and humiliation, dehumanising and rude treatment were the leading forms of OBV. Only few women said they had been physically abused during pregnancy, child birth or postpartum period. 

In documenting survivor experiences, the collective calls for a national policy to address or prevent OBV. 

Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba in November 2023 tabled a proposal for developing a National Policy on OBV, however parliamentary discussions on the matter are yet to start.