{"id":32376,"date":"2026-11-11T13:24:05","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T09:24:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ampop.am\/?p=32376"},"modified":"2026-11-11T13:24:05","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T09:24:05","slug":"safe-birth-armenia-obstetric-violence-maternity-care-reform","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ampop.am\/en\/safe-birth-armenia-obstetric-violence-maternity-care-reform\/","title":{"rendered":"From Childbirth Trauma to Systemic Reform: What Armenia\u2019s Safe Birth Project Reveals"},"content":{"rendered":"

For 35-year-old Svetlana, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, the memory of her first childbirth is dominated by pain rather than joy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people mention childbirth, that’s the only thing I remember,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Svetlana had prepared herself mentally for labor. What she hadn’t expected was to have tears sustained during delivery stitched without anesthesia, leaving her in excruciating pain.<\/p>\n

Instead of remembering the happiness of welcoming her child, she recalls feeling vulnerable and helpless.<\/p>\n

Her experience is far from unique.<\/p>\n

About 20 accounts of women\u2019s experiences in maternity hospitals across Armenia have been collected as part of the Safe Birth initiative<\/strong> and are being published on safebirth.ampop.am<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Although the incidents span different years and medical facilities, the stories reveal recurring patterns: pain being dismissed, humiliating treatment, medical procedures carried out without adequate explanation, and psychological pressure.<\/p>\n

Many of these experiences fall under the broader concept of obstetric violence<\/em>.<\/p>\n

When the Consequences Extend Beyond the Maternity Ward<\/h3>\n

Obstetric violence is not limited to physical abuse. It can also include verbal humiliation, ignoring patients\u2019 concerns, medical interventions without informed consent, and other forms of disrespectful or coercive treatment during maternity care.<\/p>\n

Such experiences can leave women feeling powerless, even when childbirth involves no major medical complications.<\/p>\n

The consequences may extend well beyond hospitalization, affecting mental health, family relationships and decisions about having more children.<\/p>\n

Some women interviewed for the Safe Birth project said they no longer wanted to become pregnant after traumatic first deliveries, despite previously planning to have larger families.<\/p>\n

Their accounts point to a potentially overlooked demographic concern: negative childbirth experiences may influence reproductive decisions.<\/p>\n

While the project does not provide statistical evidence of how much such experiences contribute to Armenia\u2019s birth rate, the testimonies highlight a factor worth considering in the country\u2019s broader demographic policies.<\/p>\n

Ethics and Technology: Telling Sensitive Stories Without Exposing Identities<\/h3>\n

The Safe Birth initiative is implemented by the Journalists for the Future NGO <\/strong>and Ampop Media<\/strong>, with support from the Democracy Development Foundation (DDF)<\/strong> and financial assistance from the Sigrid Rausing Trust<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

From the outset, the project team recognized a central ethical challenge: how to document sensitive experiences of mistreatment without compromising the identities of the women sharing their stories.<\/p>\n

Artificial intelligence became part of the solution.<\/p>\n

Rather than publishing identifiable photographs, the team used AI tools to create associative illustrations and animated videos based on the testimonies.<\/p>\n

These visuals aim to convey the emotional atmosphere of the accounts and demonstrate the importance of patient-centered communication, while protecting the storytellers\u2019 identities.<\/p>\n

The animations also contrast harmful interactions with examples of how healthcare professionals could respond more respectfully and supportively in similar situations.<\/p>\n