medication and pathologies of natural processes, bringing with it the loss of autonomy and ability to freely decide on their body and sexuality, negatively impacting the quality of life of women. 29 Venezuela became the first country to legally define obstetric violence and to typify it as a crime. In such cases, the court shall impose a fine on the person responsible or liable. A certified copy of the final judgment must be sent to the respective professional association or trade union institution, for the purposes of the corresponding disciplinary procedure. 30 In addition, specifically in article 51, it was defined which are the acts that constitute obstetric violence carried out by health professionals, sanctioning the practice with a fine and sending a copy of the conviction sentence to the activity inspection body. 31,32 In spite of that, considering obstetric violence as a crime is a measure that is not suitable to face this problem, because work routines in hospitals in Venezuela comply with a pattern according to the institutional model of Venezuelan obstetric care. In this way, the solution should be focused primarily on the transformation of this hegemonic 29 VENEZUELA. Ley n. 38.668, de 23 de abril de 2007. Ley Organica sobre el Derecho de las Mujeres a una Vida Libre de Violencia. Available in: . Acess in July 11, 2017, p. 8. 30 BELLI, L.F., La violencia obstétrica: otra forma de violación de los derechos humanos . Available in: . Acess in December 12, 2017, p. 29. 31 VENEZUELA, ibid., p. 18. 32 “Violencia obstétrica: Artículo 51. Se considerarán actos constitutivos de violencia obstétrica los ejecutados por el personal de salud, consistentes en: 1. No atender oportuna y eficazmente las emergencias obstétricas. 2. Obligar a la mujer a parir en posición supina y con las piernas levantadas, existiendo los medios necesarios para la realización del parto vertical. 3. Obstaculizar el apego precoz del niño o niña con su madre, sin causa médica justificada, negándole la posibilidad de cargarlo o cargarla y amamantarlo o amamantarla inmediatamente al nacer. 4. Alterar el proceso natural del parto de bajo riesgo, mediante el uso de técnicas de aceleración, sin obtener el consentimiento voluntario, expreso e informado de la mujer. 5. Practicar el parto por vía de cesárea, existiendo condiciones para el parto natural, sin obtener el consentimiento voluntario, expreso e informado de la mujer. En tales supuestos, el tribunal impondrá al responsable o la responsable, una multa de doscientas cincuenta (250 U.T.) a quinientas unidades tributarias (500 U.T.), debiendo remitir copia certificada de la sentencia condenatoria definitivamente firme al respectivo colegio profesional o institución gremial, a los fines del procedimiento disciplinario que corresponda”. “Obstetric violence: Article 51. Constitutive acts of obstetric violence shall be those performed by health personnel, consisting of: 1. Failure to respond to obstetric emergencies in a timely and effective manner. 2. To force the woman to give birth in the supine position and with the legs raised, existing the means necessary for the realization of the vertical birth. 3. Obstruct the child’s early attachment to his mother, without justified medical reasons, denying him or her the possibility of carrying or loading and breastfeeding or breastfeeding her at birth. 4. Alter the natural process of low risk childbirth through the use of acceleration techniques without obtaining the voluntary, express and informed consent of the woman. 5. Practicing the delivery by cesarean section, existing conditions for natural childbirth, without obtaining the voluntary, express and informed consent of the woman. In such cases, the court will impose a fine of two hundred and fifty (250 TU) to five hundred tax units (500 TU), and must send a certified copy of the definitive conviction to the respective professional association or guild institution, The purposes of the relevant disciplinary procedure”.
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