Introduction:

Obstetric violence is a specific type of gender violence, perpetrated against women in labor, delivery and postpartum in health institutions.

Objective:

To understand the experience of postpartum women concerning obstetric violence in a public maternity hospital.

Methods:

Phenomenological research carried out with seventeen parturients in 2017, through interviews guided by a semistructured questionnaire. Their discourses were organized and analyzed based on Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of perception.

Results:

Three categories were identified: desire for vaginal delivery versus professional decision-making, dehumanization of professional attitudes and awareness of best achievements, partner presence and enduring companion. Ambiguities were identified in the perceptions experienced by women, with feelings from insecurity to satisfaction concerning the service received from health professionals.

Conclusions:

There are perceptual meanings regarding obstetric violence in the reports of women in labor. There is a need for changes in professional practices to qualify obstetric care in a humane way.

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