Articles: Obstetric Violence

“She’s Screaming Stop”: Forced Procedures Are Assault

by Cristen Pascucci | Dec 6, 2018 | All, Birth Rights, Birth Trauma, Obstetric Violence, Trauma

“I interrupted and said ‘she said stop, take your hand out of her vagina right now, she said stop!’”

Birth Plans Are Never A Joke: Trust, Betrayal, and Misogyny in Maternity Care

by Cristen Pascucci | Nov 20, 2017 | Advocacy, All, Birth Trauma, Obstetric Violence, Trauma

Birth plans are women being smarter than hospitals when hospitals fail to follow humane, science-based practices. That they have to be written down and pre-approved by a doctor is evidence of how little women’s decisions in birth matter.

VIDEO: Hospitals Already Ban Vaginal Birth After Cesarean in Hospitals, Want to Ban it at Home

by Cristen Pascucci | Mar 15, 2017 | Advocacy, All, Obstetric Violence, The Birth Monopoly

This short Birth Monopoly video looks at the reality families face in a state where, in many ways, hospitals have more control over birth than women do.

Letter to an Obstetrician: Forced Vaginal Procedures are Unethical, Traumatic

by Cristen Pascucci | Sep 19, 2016 | Advocacy, All, Birth Rights, Birth Trauma, For Providers, Obstetric Violence, Sexual Trauma, Trauma

The performance of medical procedures without consent on a competent adult is unethical, unprofessional, and possibly illegal. More specifically, when a medical or midwifery professional administers a procedure without the consent of the pregnant or laboring...

“Birthrape & the Doula” with Amy Gilliland, Ph.D.

by Cristen Pascucci | May 2, 2016 | Advocacy, All, Birth Trauma, Obstetric Violence, Sexual Trauma, Trauma

So what does a doula do when her client is being violated right in front of her?

Obstetrician Ethics: Awesome Guidelines from the National OBs’ Group

by Cristen Pascucci | Mar 8, 2016 | Advocacy, All, Birth Rights, For Providers, Obstetric Violence

For pregnant people and those who work with them, these ethical concepts around their care are critical.

Mom Sues for Bait & Switch in Maternity Care

by Cristen Pascucci | Nov 19, 2015 | Advocacy, All, Birth Rights, Birth Trauma, Obstetric Violence, Sexual Trauma, Trauma

“As if birthing a baby isn’t hard enough, I gave birth while engaged in a physical struggle against the people I trusted to care for us.”

Nurse: Women are “Fabricating” Traumatic Birth Stories

by Cristen Pascucci | Nov 4, 2015 | All, Birth Trauma, For Providers, Obstetric Violence, Trauma

Recently, a nurse wrote to Birth Monopoly about “seemingly fabricated traumatic birth stories.”

Nurses: Women Are Not “Fabricating” Birth Trauma

by Cristen Pascucci | Nov 4, 2015 | All, Birth Trauma, For Providers, Obstetric Violence, Trauma

This first nurse’s comment gives us a pretty accurate peephole into an operating system that tells traumatized women, over and over: “Stop talking.”

Doctor, You’re Not Listening

by Cristen Pascucci | Sep 30, 2014 | Advocacy, All, Birth Trauma, For Providers, Obstetric Violence, Trauma

So much trauma could be prevented by simply listening to and respecting the women giving birth.

Arizona Birth Monopoly: Mandatory Surgery or Forced Vaginal Exams

by Cristen Pascucci | Jun 30, 2014 | Advocacy, All, Birth Rights, Birth Trauma, Home Birth, Obstetric Violence, Out of hospital birth, Sexual Trauma, The Birth Monopoly, Trauma

While some states are working hard to make maternity care safer, less expensive, and more humane, Arizona is going backwards, fast, led by its state Department of Health Services. New interpretation of existing state regulations that go into effect on July 1 impose...

You’re Not Allowed to Not Allow Me

by Cristen Pascucci | Jun 17, 2014 | Advocacy, All, Birth Rights, For Providers, Obstetric Violence, Trauma

The legal authority in childbirth lies with the woman giving birth, not the providers of care. Our words should reflect that.