Between the formal and the substantive: quality of childbirth care in Uruguay

Abstract

The article addresses one form of gender violence: violence in the context of childbirth care, contrasting the social rights contained in the Reproductive Health Law with the actual scenario where childbirth attendance takes place. For the discussion, interviews with obstetrical health personnel and women who have had an experience of childbirth are taken into account, which were carried out in the context of a master’s degree in sociology and an on-going doctorate. As the main result, an important distance between the formal and the substantive is revealed, where symbolic violence, expressed primarily through the doctor-patient relationship, is one of the obstacles for the rights to be respected. The conclusions offers proposals to improve respect for women’s rights in childbirth care, referring to a modification in approach that can result in the transformation of the model of care and of the professionals.