Six shocking things doctors do to pregnant women in India

Social media is abuzz with news of a Venezuelan doctor who took a selfie with a woman’s vagina. While this is deeply disturbing, yes, it is more damning because the woman has no choice at all. No say in the matter. The International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics in Venezuela introduced the term obstetric violence a few years back to talk about this form of exploitation of women. It defines this form of violence as:

The appropriation of the body and reproductive processes of women by health personnel, which is expressed as dehumanized treatment, an abuse of medication, and to convert the natural processes into pathological ones, bringing with it loss of autonomy and the ability to decide freely about their bodies and sexuality, negatively impacting the quality of life of women. [1]

Obstetric violence in India seems par for the course with very few people questioning common birthing practices. There is a little buzz is birthing circles is how to plan a birth without violence, but largely, we seem to be ignorant of our rights and choices. No matter who you choose, a gynaecologist or gynaec, as they are commonly referred to in India, holds all the cards. They may or may not choose to keep you informed about all the procedures during labour and childbirth. Don’t believe me? Ask your mother, peers, aunts and sisters how much they know about each of these things:

1. Physical exam

One of the top worries that women have during a physical by a gynaec is the pain when they insert their hand inside the vagina. How many times do they need to check it? How do some gynaecs skip this procedure while others insist you go through it a dozen times? A friend of mine told me that she selected a gynaec for delivery based on the fact that the doctor was ready to skip the physical exam entirely.

I was rudely told by a medical resident, who was rough during this internal exam, that I felt pain when she examined me because I had an infection. I did not. I insisted that some other doctor perform this exam because it did not hurt when they were careful. Many women who are not aware they have a choice in this matter, grind their teeth and bear it.

2. Medication to induce labour

Did you know that many a times labour is induced using Pitocin in India without even explaining what Pitocin does and asking the pregnant woman for consent in advance? How many women do you know (ask your grandmother, mother and aunts) who have even heard about Pitocin? Here are 10 things you should know about induced labour.

3. Labour positions

If you go to a halfway decent hospital, you are forced to give birth lying down with your legs high up in stirrups. This leads to forceps deliveries and other issues and this practice continues as hospitals do not offer vertical deliveries and other easy birthing options. Very few clinics in India even offer natural birthing options.

4. C-sections

Some hospitals have introduced a policy where the cost of a c-section is only marginally higher than a vaginal birth to dispel the notion that they are performing a c-section for money. This has come about because of the rise in c-sections in hospitals with unscrupulous doctors performing these surgeries to make a higher billing. There is no accounting for this practice and no way to prove whether it was needed or not.

5. Stitches, stitches and more stitches

Ever wondered how women who give birth at home before healed without an episiotomy or cuts and stitches during a vaginal delivery? We hear of women not healing or continuing to feel because of the cut being too wide, all the way to the anus even? No consent or anything is required at this stage from the supine woman who is just waiting to get the whole thing over and done with. The number of stitches sometimes depends on the skill of the doctor and you are just screwed if your doctor is bad. Research findings by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology show that it is possible to reach a zero rate of episiotomy with a high frequency of intact perineum, reduced need for suturing, and no adverse outcomes such as severe perineal lacerations. [2]

6. Formula feeding

Immediately after the birth, many hospitals will feed your child formula even before you try to nurse the baby. Even if you mention that you want to breastfeed and not use formula, more often than not you are not even aware that the baby is taken away. The may not even allow baby crawl or skin-to-skin contact. Women don’t even write a birth plan. The baby is cleaned, fed formula, the umbilical cord is cut even when the placenta is pulsing instead of clamping it for a few minutes. Basically, it boils down to the same lack of choice — one that you didn’t have during pregnancy or labour continues even after  childbirth.

Recently, a crowd sourcing initiative on twitter looked for gynaecs in India who we trust. Please support initiatives like this or be aware of your rights because no matter how much angst you express on your Facebook profile or tweet about vaginal selfie, your own backyard is littered with instances of obstetric violence that only proactive action on your part can help eliminate.

If you want to vent about this or have an opinion on women’s rights during pregnancy participate in our forum.

25 things people don’t tell you about being pregnant

Originally published on www.healthsite.com