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Doctors alarmed by inquiry ’ s term for birth trauma .
Paul Smith DOCTORS are criticising the adoption
of the term ‘ obstetric violence ’ by a parliamentary inquiry into the prevalence of birth trauma .
The inquiry has been dubbed the “ Me Too of childbirth ”, with more than 4000 submissions made to the NSW
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Select Committee on Birth Trauma — many from women describing their experiences of alleged clinical incompetence and the lack of consent surrounding interventions .
During the first hearing last week , the inquiry was told that a third of women had experienced some form of “ obstetric trauma ” and around one in 10 had reported “ obstetric violence ”.
The figures were based on a 2019 survey of 8000 women by Professor Hannah Dahlen , from the school of nursing and midwifery at Western
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Sydney University . But RANZCOG said it was alarmed by the language .
The college said the phrases , which were also used in the inquiry ’ s terms
of reference , implied that the “ obstetrician
intended the harm , which is unfair and vastly incorrect ”.
“[ The ] word ‘ violence ’ has a
It implies the ‘ obstetrician intended the harm , which is unfair and vastly incorrect ’.
grounding in the social and political philosophy literature , with a paradigm of victimhood and oppression by a powerful privileged group who deliberately
cause suffering ,” it said in its written submission .
“ Interventions are often carried out where the health provider is of the
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opinion that the intervention is needed to prevent harm to the mother and / or the baby ,” it added .
“ Childbirth may cause significant physical and psychological damage to women , [ but ] it is quite extreme and incorrect to assume that ‘ intentional violence ’ is being perpetrated by Australian and New Zealand maternity care providers towards women and the babies in their care ,” it said .
Professor Dahlen , who fronted the inquiry last week , defended the term .
“ No means no — except , PAGE 2
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