A shocking new report has revealed that nearly 60% of women in South Africa experience obstetric violence during childbirth, highlighting a systemic crisis in maternal care that demands urgent reform. The study, commissioned by Embrace: The Movement for Mothers, is the first to quantify the scale of abuse women face during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care in the country’s public health system.
Presented at the University of the Witwatersrand, the report draws on a large survey of women in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, and the findings paint a grim picture. Around six in 10 women reported experiencing some form of obstetric violence, including verbal abuse, neglect, denial of care, and medical procedures performed without consent. Researchers estimate that translates to nearly 1.8 million women affected over 10 years in just those two provinces.
What is Obstetric Violence?
Obstetric violence is increasingly recognised as a form of gender-based violence in South Africa, and includes a wide spectrum of abuses, from humiliation and physical assault to coercive or non-consensual medical interventions. According to the World Health Organization, violence against women is a major public health problem that affects millions of women worldwide.
Findings of the Report
The survey findings showed that 57% of women experienced verbal abuse or disrespect, while a quarter said procedures such as C-sections or episiotomies were performed without their consent. The report was launched in partnership with the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at Wits, where stakeholders gathered to confront what organisers described as a “long-normalised” crisis in maternity care.
Some of the key findings of the report include:
- 60% of women experienced obstetric violence during childbirth
- 57% of women experienced verbal abuse or disrespect
- 25% of women had medical procedures performed without their consent
- 1.8 million women affected over 10 years in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal
The report also points to structural causes, including staff shortages, overcrowded facilities, and strained resources that contribute to conditions that allow such abuse. In many cases, women did not initially recognise what they experienced as abuse.
Health officials present at the launch acknowledged the severity of the findings, describing them as “deeply shocking” and unacceptable in a system meant to provide care and dignity. The report highlights the need for urgent reform and improved training for healthcare providers to prevent obstetric violence.
