Women in Development and Peace
Faiza Abdul-Qadir (28 years old) from Taiz Governorate was subjected to mistreatment and physical and verbal abuse by a midwife at a health center during her delivery, which lasted more than five hours, without allowing any family member to accompany her.
Faiza recounts her experience: “The midwife mistreated me, using foul language to the point of saying, ‘Why are you screaming now? No one told you to get married and come crying.’ When I fell to the ground from the intensity of labor, she left me without help, even using humiliating words that made me hate myself that day, hate the newborn, and hate childbirth.”
Faiza’s story is no less important than that of (A.A.), a 30-year-old woman from Abyan Governorate, who had a tragic birthing experience at a hospital in Aden, resulting in severe psychological and physical harm. She was treated cruelly during her last delivery, including being cursed, and insulted, and her dignity violated. She also suffered from wrong medical procedures: her abdomen was forcefully pushed, she was gagged and tied to the bed, and her birth canal was wrongly dilated. This led to complications, resulting in a vesicovaginal fistula, which later required two surgeries to repair the damage to her uterus.
After the delivery, (A.A.), a mother of four, fell into severe depression. She became unable to perform her daily life normally and suffers from constant pain and psychological effects that have made her withdrawn and unwilling to interact with her family, affecting her relationship with her husband and children.
The stories of Faiza and (A.A.) highlight the shocking reality of violations and mistreatment that women may experience during childbirth in some health facilities or at the hands of childbirth workers. This reflects a deeper problem related to the lack of professional and humane training for some health workers and the absence of strict oversight of the quality of services provided to women during one of the most sensitive and important moments of their lives.
Its Devastating Effects
Despite the significant progress made in the field of obstetrics and gynecology in various countries of the world and Yemen in particular, including the availability of modern technologies that monitor fetal health, pain relievers to reduce labor pains, and life-saving cesarean sections, violent practices against women during childbirth persist.
The World Health Organization and human rights organizations have classified these violations as forms of violence against women, warning of their devastating effects on the women’s physical and mental health, which leads many of them to hesitate or refrain from seeking prenatal care.
Violations that women experience during childbirth include verbal abuse, physical assault, neglect, and disrespect for the pregnant woman’s privacy and dignity. These practices fall under what is known as “obstetric violence,” a direct violation of a woman’s right to safe and dignified healthcare.
These violations also create fear among women of going to health facilities, putting their lives and the lives of their children at risk. These violations affect many women; they suffer from psychological disorders, such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, as a result of these harsh experiences.
A Systemic Violation of Human Rights
A UN expert, Dubravka Šimonović, affirmed that the mistreatment and violence experienced by women during childbirth constitutes a systemic violation of human rights that continues to negatively affect the lives of women around the world.
In her report to the UN General Assembly in 2019, she called for immediate action to stop these violations, stressing that women have the right to dignified and respectful care during childbirth, free from violence and mistreatment.
On the other hand, the World Health Organization revealed that the mistreatment of women during childbirth, whether through neglect or verbal and physical abuse, is a global problem that requires immediate attention.
Studies conducted by the organization in many countries around the world have shown that women in hospitals and healthcare centers face humiliating practices that affect their mental and physical health and create a psychological barrier that makes them hesitant to seek medical care during childbirth.
It pointed out that the vulnerability of women during childbirth and their inability to defend themselves make them susceptible to violations, such as being deprived of pain relief, humiliation and disrespect, and violation of privacy during childbirth.
The organization explained that neglect and abuse during childbirth can lead to serious complications that threaten the lives of both mother and child and require urgent medical intervention. In many cases, private-sector doctors resort to cesarean sections as a profitable option, leading to an increase in unnecessary medical procedures.
Side Effects
Obstetric violence leaves deep scars on mothers and their families, encompassing a range of long-term physical and psychological consequences. Psychologically, many mothers experience traumatic birthing experiences leading to serious mental health issues, including postpartum depression (a common consequence of abuse or neglect during childbirth), post-traumatic stress disorder, and fear of future pregnancies.
The harm isn’t limited to mental health; both mother and child may suffer serious health problems. Unnecessary dilation can cause long-lasting pain and complications. Birth injuries can result in head trauma or asphyxiation for the child during natural birth, sometimes even leading to death due to medical malpractice.
Health Risks
Dr. Muna Abdul-Rahman, an obstetrician and gynecologist, highlights the health risks stemming from obstetric violence, which includes unjustified medical practices and errors that negatively affect women’s health. She cites many cases she’s treated involving poor blood supply to the uterus and bladder due to excessive pressure during childbirth, uterine prolapse, and bladder prolapse – common problems resulting from improper pressure and unnecessary dilation, often necessitating later cosmetic surgery. She also notes the dangers of inducing labor without medical necessity, which can cause complications for the mother.
The doctor emphasizes that gagging, physical restraint, and abdominal pressure during childbirth are unacceptable medical errors. Incorrect diagnosis or failure to determine the need for a cesarean section versus natural birth exacerbates these problems.
Dr. Muna believes curbing obstetric violence requires training medical personnel in safe, evidence-based care standards, raising women’s awareness of their rights during childbirth, and imposing oversight on health facilities to ensure respectful and safe care.
A Legal Glance
According to Counselor Dr. Salih Abdallah Al-Marfadi, a member of the Supreme Court of Yemen, in his critical analytical research on medical malpractice in Yemen, the legal definition of medical malpractice isn’t restricted to the actions of a physician (in its specific definition) who directly treats a patient (i.e., a medical school graduate). It includes (a broader definition) anyone practicing medicine and related health professions, such as anesthesiology, pharmacy, and nursing, among other established specializations.
Legal scholarship offers several definitions of medical malpractice; the most prominent is that it is an error stemming from ignorance of technical matters that any practitioner of the profession should be expected to know, or negligence, or failure to exercise due care.
Yemeni Law No. 26 of 2002, concerning the practice of medical and pharmaceutical professions, mandates that physicians and healthcare providers must provide comprehensive medical and humane services while respecting patients’ dignity.
Yemeni law punishes medical negligence or mistreatment under the Yemeni Penal Code No. 12 of 1994, which criminalizes negligence resulting in physical harm or death. Patients or their families can file complaints against healthcare providers with relevant authorities, such as the Ministry of Health or the judiciary.