Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2025

External Cephalic Version: Is it an Effective and Safe Procedure?
Published on: June 6, 2020
Unveiling the intersection: exploring obstetric violence in the Era of COVID-19 in Ecuador
Martha Fors1, Paloma González2, Santiago Jacho2
1One Health Group, Universidad de Las Américas, Avenida de los Granados, Vía a Nayón, Quito, Ecuador. martha.fors@udla.edu.ec.
Introduction:
Changes to healthcare delivery organization that have occurred to protect people from the virus COVID-19 may have led to harmful consequences to pregnant women intensifying obstetric violence. Prevalence of obstetric violence in Ecuador is high with a range between 30 and 70% approximately.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study was performed with the participation of 1298 women who answered EPREVO questionnaire from June 2021 to January 2022. Obstetrics characteristics' relationship before and during COVID-19 were examined using Fisher exact test.
Results:
From 1598 respondents, 1284 (80.4%) gave birth before March 2020 Most of the participants (73.6%; CI:73.59-73.61) experienced obstetric violence during childbirth. Vaginal examination, enemas and genital shaving, episiotomy and cesarean section decreased significantly as well as rooming with the baby during the pandemic. Half of the women did not breastfeed the baby in the first hour but there were not statistically significant differences between giving birth before or during the infection from COVID-19.
Conclusions:
Levels of obstetric violence in Ecuador remains high but without major differences due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however some harmful medical practices considered as obstetric violence decreased but maybe to the fear to be infected by the virus.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Fetal Circulation
Two umbilical arteries transport blood from the fetus to the placenta. At the placenta, the blood absorbs oxygen and nutrients while simultaneously eliminating waste products. This oxygen-enriched and nutrient-rich blood then returns to the fetus through one...
Endoscopic Studies II: Thoracocentesis
Description
Excess pleural fluid or air may accumulate in some respiratory disorders in the thoracic cavity. To treat pleural effusion, a physician conducts thoracentesis by carefully piercing the chest wall and entering...
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
Milgram's Obedience to Authority
Assessment of the Abdomen II: Percussion
Percussion
Percussion is an essential...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...

