Violence in the Labor Ward: Sabina Jankovičová
As told to Stephanie Bowen, edited by Nina Wright, as part of the Brave Voices, Bold Actions podcast
My name is Sabina Jankovičová, I am a 43-year-old woman from Slovakia, and I have two children. I was born premature at 28 weeks and was separated from my mother in an incubator. My mother would bring me breast milk, but the hospital chose to feed me formula. I had serious issues with the formula and had to remain in the hospital for an extra two weeks. Hearing about this experience from my mother was scary, especially when I wanted to start my own family. I did my own research and found that birth can be a positive experience when the woman is empowered and able to choose their birthing experience.
When I was 33, I had a miscarriage. That was when I first experienced obstetric violence- the neglect, physical or emotional abuse or mistreatment, or loss of respect or autonomy that occurs during childbirth. Here in Slovakia, all women who have miscarriages are forced to submit to an operation that artificially cleans the uterus. Nobody explained to me that the fetus could leave my uterus naturally. After the operation, I went back to the hospital because I had terrible pains and the physicians told me it was my fault because of my age. The health care providers gave me infusions to induce strong contractions that lasted for four hours. They did not give me any pain medication, except a headache pill, which did not work of course. For eight hours it was constant pain, in some moments so strong that I wanted to jump from the window. The doctor had me go home, but there I was in a worse state physically and mentally. I had trauma from losing my child and I had trauma from experiencing this torture.
The operation damaged my uterus and for one year I had a very heavy menstruation. I got pregnant again. I knew from experience that the health system in Slovakia is not good for women, so I wanted to either give birth at home or go abroad to Austria. Home birth is not legal officially, but many women choose to have one instead of going to the hospitals where they may face abuse. I ended up giving birth in Slovakia because my child was premature at 31 weeks and I did not have the money to give birth in Austria. I tried to discuss with the doctors what I wanted from my birth, but they would not listen.
There was no quiet place in the hospital. The nurses were aggressive — they told me that I could not move from the bed, not even to go to the bathroom. They would tie me to the bed so I could not move. I stayed in the preparation room for 48 hours. I kept asking to talk to the neonatologist to discuss my birth plan. I wanted to know what would happen to my child after the birth. The first day I was talking with a female doctor and I told her “I don’t want an induction; I want to wait for a natural birth.” She told me it was not possible in that hospital, but that I could refuse the procedure and wait. The second day, a male doctor who was a powerful member of the obstetric ward forced me to have a cesarean. He did not even come in person to tell me, he sent a young, female doctor to do it.
In Slovakia, women are not allowed to have anyone in the hospital with them until the last hour of birth. Sometimes women stay isolated in the hospital for days. For two days, I was only able to see my husband for two hours a day during visiting hours. The rest of the time I was on my own and it was so hard. I was trying to find a different doctor because my physician told me that I would need an episiotomy because it was a premature birth. This is an older practice that is proven to not be needed and I did not want one. I got a second opinion from a doctor in another town who agreed I did not need an episiotomy, but it was too late as the birth had began naturally. Now after studying violence for five or six years, I realize that the doctor wanted to undermine my voice. There are strong power hierarchies that exist in these institutions and systems. The system is very patriarchal. Not being heard was very difficult. I felt powerless, like being in a prison.
Knowing that you can’t do anything and that your health will be adversely affected is the worst feeling I have ever felt. Especially when the episiotomy happened, despite me and my husband saying no. I knew at that moment the harm he would do to my body, the risk of developing complications. This was the worst moment and feeling of my life.
During the seven days I spent recovering from my operation, I was separated from my son. I had to walk long corridors and it was so painful to walk, but I had to do it to be able to breastfeed him. I could not sit and the pain was intolerable. After a whole week a room became available and I was finally able to be with my child. I stayed for 10 days with my son. Breastfeeding was difficult and I could barely stand up and return to the bed because they are difficult to climb with episiotomy wounds.
I felt so powerless and destroyed. I did not complain anymore. I now know why every authoritarian system uses physical torture because when you are in so much pain you are not able to be in opposition. You cannot do anything normally, not even think. You only feel the pain. I knew there was nothing I could do because my child was not in my care, he was in the care of the hospital. I watched a nurse in the ward trying to force my son to drink formula with such violence right in front of my eyes, so I knew what she would do when I was not there. I did not oppose her because I tried to be a good patient, a good prisoner.
I suffered with severe pain for one year, I could not walk or sit without pain. I could not sleep because of pain. I had all the PTSD symptoms. I could not have a child as soon I really wanted, because I was not a healthy woman. This disturbed my family life. Constant pain caused constant retraumatization. I saw three doctors (OBGYN) and they told had to me to wait until the second birth and “have a child as soon as possible.” It was impossible. I did not want to be pregnant in such a physical and mental state. These difficulties lasted for another two years, only the pain was was sometimes weaker. I wanted to have an operation. I tried to find help in plastic surgery department, but they told me they did not do such operations and I should find an OBGYN. Finally I went to Austria to have an operation. Then I could have my second child, because I felt finally as normal woman.
For my second pregnancy, I went to Austria so I wouldn’t have to relive the trauma of my first birth but, even though I experienced less physical abuse in Austria, it was still a traumatic experience. In this hospital, there was less hard, physical violence but more soft violence that was used to manipulate women to give up their choices. I had to fight to choose my birth position because the doctor wanted what was more convenient for him. I was having contractions one after the other, but I had to keep arguing to demand respect. After I gave birth I stood up and the midwife gave me my baby. She told me that I had to sit on the bed because I was getting blood on the floor and she did not want me to stand. This made the placenta slow when coming out, and because the placenta did not come out immediately the doctors wanted to give me Pitocin and I said no. The doctor and midwife gave me the Pitocin without my consent. It felt like rape. The midwife was pulling my legs apart and the doctor was pushing on my belly.
To demand respect and a voice in your medical decisions requires constant arguing, and this is hard when you are in labor. After, when I wanted bonding time with my baby there was no respect. I was breastfeeding my child and a nurse came and told me that I had to hand over my baby to be weighed because the computer system was closing at the hospital. After the second birth, the re-traumatization was there. I cried so many nights because of the violence I experienced, even though I went to Austria in the hopes of having more respect.
If I could give any piece of advice to women as they embark upon pregnancy and childbirth, I would tell them to believe in their own power. Women should believe in their power to have positive birth experiences and be good mothers. I also encourage women to be informed about their health systems and how to demand respect. Here in Slovakia, I encourage women to give birth somewhere else where it is easier to fight against the system and have a positive birth experience. I always tell them to believe in their power and their capacity to give birth.
Doctors, nurses, midwives, and anyone else caring for women need to respect every individual and her choices. Every woman has her own life experience and only she knows the right choice for herself. All women need to have information, and it is the responsibility of health professions to give them this information and to give them choices. Respect and communication are necessary in order for this to happen.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!
Respectful Maternity Care Charter: The Universal Rights of Women and Newborns
Article 1 of the Respectful Maternity Care Charter:
- Everyone has the right to freedom from harm and ill-treatment. No one is allowed to physically hurt you or your newborn. You should both be taken care of in a gentle and compassionate way and receive assistance when experiencing pain or discomfort.
Legal authority
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966, Article 7
Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1990, Article 19, 37
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006, Article 15, 16
Regional legal authority
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, 1998, Article 6
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, 1990, Article 16
American Convention on Human Rights, 1969, Article 5
American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1988, Article 19
Convention of Belem do Para, 1994, Article 2, 3, 4
European Convention on Human Rights, 1950, Article 3
Learn more about the universal rights of women and newborns at https://www.whiteribbonalliance.org/rmcresources
Each of the stories featured in the Brave Voices, Bold Actions series focuses on a specific article from the Respectful Maternity Care Charter.
Read them all:
- Article 2: Everyone has the right to information, informed consent, and respect for their choices and preferences, including companion of choice during maternity care and refusal of medical procedures — Monique Lacombe
- Article 3: Where There Are No Curtains: The Importance of Privacy During Childbirth — A Young Tanzanian Woman’s Story
- Article 4: Dignity and Respect During Childbirth: It’s What Women Want — Mercyline Ongachi
