Maternal Healthcare Disparities and Obstetric Violence in Urban Public Hospitals

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 53–65

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001288

Article Type: Research Article

Title: Maternal Healthcare Disparities and Obstetric Violence in Urban Public Hospitals

Names of Author: Dr. Amina Bello¹

Author's Affiliation: ¹Department of Community Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

Abstract:
Reducing maternal mortality remains a critical public health priority across sub-Saharan Africa, yet biomedical interventions alone often overlook the structural and interpersonal abuses women experience during childbirth. Obstetric violence—manifested through verbal humiliation, non-consented clinical procedures, neglect, and discriminatory care—deters women from utilizing skilled birth attendance in public health facilities. Low-income and adolescent mothers disproportionately bear the brunt of these institutional failures, reflecting broader intersections of gender, class, and medical hierarchy. This paper explores the lived experiences of postpartum women and midwives in three urban public hospitals in Northern Nigeria. Employing a reproductive justice framework, the research combines in-depth narrative interviews with 45 mothers and observational assessments of maternity wards. The analysis highlights how chronic underfunding, staff burnout, and normalized patriarchal attitudes toward female patients perpetuate disrespectful maternity care, underscoring the urgent need for human-rights-centered midwifery training and accountability mechanisms.

Keywords: Obstetric violence, reproductive justice, maternal healthcare, public hospitals, gender disparities, midwifery, Nigeria, women's health

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 22, 2026; Revised: July 02, 2026; Accepted: July 05, 2026; Published: August 14, 2026.

Citation: Bello, A. (2026). Maternal Healthcare Disparities and Obstetric Violence in Urban Public Hospitals. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(8), 53–65. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001288

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