VOICE OF WOMEN WHO DENOUNCE OBSTETRIC VIOLENCE: MANUAL EXPLORATION OF THE UTERINE CAVITY AS A ROUTINE POSTPARTUM METHOD

Abstract

The manual exploration of the uterine cavity is a procedure that is applied in the third stage of labor, when there are precise indications; however, we evidenced that it is practiced routinely in many obstetric care centers in our country as well as in other Latin American countries. The women in labor are the ones who attend these centers of obstetric care and who receive manual exploration of the uterine cavity; therefore we assume in this research the perspective/methodology of gender through a qualitative approach to investigate and clarify the subjective aspects of the experiences lived by women whose childbirths were attended at the Central Hospital of Maracay, type IV care center through the postgraduate studies in Gynecology and Obstetrics supported by the University of Carabobo. This was achieved by applying semi-structured qualitative interviews with a representativeness given by the saturation of knowledge reached with 21 women. It is possible to know that manual examination of the uterine cavity is a routine, mechanized and unjustified procedure, where women receive little information and usually approve it due to fear of their integrity and vitality, even when they must endure an intense and painful stimulus while losing the autonomy and appropriation of their own bodies.