Analysis of the Scientific Production on Female Empowerment and Perinatal Health

Abstract

Introduction

The concept of female empowerment is often used in nursing by midwifes, since it has become a key topic and discussion for said profession. Accordingly, it is used in perinatal health hand in hand with ideas such as humanized childbirth and the prevention of violence.

Objectives

The aim of this study is to analyze the scientific production on female empowerment and perinatal health.

Methodology

A bibliometric study of the scientific production published in the journals Birth, Women and Birth and Midwifery was carried out. The analysis was realized through the classification and categorization of the data. Moreover, the categories were specified, encoded and conceptually defined.

Results and Discussion

341 articles were identified, and 44 were selected because of their relevance. However, only 13 matched the inclusion criteria. Given that selected articles have different aims and analyze the notion of empowerment differently, it was only possible to discuss the topic through their classification and categorization. Accordingly, the most relevant aspects concerning the sense of female empowerment arising out of the interaction between patients and midwifes are: feeling that health professionals listen to what you have to say; accepting pain; the physical and psychological support of close people or professionals; personalized care; health professionals’ empathy and closeness; privacy; and the role communication as key element for empowerment.

Conclusions

Female empowerment in the perinatal period is an understudied discussed topic in the journals analyzed in this article. That is the reason why there is not a univocal definition of the term. It could be argued that female empowerment is much dependent on aspects such as confidence between patients and midwife, the feeling of being listened by health professionals; the acceptance of pain; the physical and psychological support of close people or professionals; personalized care; health professionals’ empathy and closeness; privacy; and a fluid communication.