Dehumanization during Delivery: Meanings and Experiences of Women Cared for in the Medellin Public Network/La deshumanizacion en el parto: significados y vivencias de las mujeres asistidas en la red publica de Medellin/A desumanizacao no parto: significados e vivencias das mulheres atendidas na rede publica de Medellin Colombia

Objective. This work sought to describe the meanings constructed in the experiences of women in relation to the care received by the healthcare staff at the moment of delivery. Methods. Qualitative study using the procedures proposed by the Grounded theory for data analysis. The sample comprised 18 women over 14 years of age, between 40 days and 6 months postpartum. Twelve of the participants were selected through convenience and to reach saturation of the categories, six more participants were included by using theoretical sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in three information collection phases, and said interviews were analyzed line by line by using coding and categorization techniques. Results. The mothers described the parturition experience negatively, perceiving it as the implicit imposition of stoicism to repress their emotions, pain, and discomfort and prefer an attitude of submission to the health staff. The participating mothers critically conjure up the care received, which translates into procedures performed and verbal and psychological abuse. Conclusion. The mothers assign meanings to their experiences of the delivery process not so much as a transcendent human experience, but rather as a super-experience to the dehumanization of giving birth within the biomedical context. Descriptors: dehumanization; humanizing delivery; parturition; health personnel; women; qualitative research. Objetivo. Describir los significados construidos a partir de la experiencia vivida por mujeres en relacion con la atencion recibida por parte del personal asistencial en el momento del parto. Metodos. Estudio cualitativo que utilizo los procedimientos propuestos por la Teoria Fundada para realizar el analisis de los datos. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 18 mujeres mayores de 14 anos, entre 40 dias y seis meses de postparto. Doce de las participantes se seleccionaron por conveniencia, y para llegar a la saturacion de las categorias, se incluyeron otras seis participantes usando el muestreo teorico. Se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas durante tres fases de recoleccion de informacion, las cuales se analizaron linea por linea, utilizando tecnicas de codificacion y categorizacion. Resultados. Las madres describieron la experiencia del parto de forma negativa, pues la perciben como la imposicion implicita del estoicismo para reprimir sus emociones, dolor e incomodidad y prefieren una actitud de sometimiento frente al personal de salud. Las madre