The medical ethics and obstetric violence: perspectives based on Aristotle’s concepts of ethics and justice

Abstract

Abstract

This article investigates the philosophical origins of the concept of ethics and its influence on contemporary medical practice, focusing on the Brazilian reality and the issue of obstetric violence. The central objective is to understand how ethical foundations, especially Aristotelian ethics and the notion of justice, guide and should guide medical conduct, as well as to analyze their enforceability under Brazilian law. A deductive methodology was employed, with a qualitative approach based on bibliographic, legislative, and jurisprudential review. As results, the study identified a significant increase in ethical proceedings against physicians in Brazil, particularly in gynecology and obstetrics, revealing the gap between normative ethical principles and everyday practice. The analysis of the paradigmatic case of Appeal No. 0001314-07.2015.8.26.0082, judged by the São Paulo Court of Justice, evidenced violations of patient autonomy, dignity, and the right to humanized childbirth, characterizing obstetric violence as a serious ethical breach and a violation of human rights. It is concluded that, beyond technical and scientific advances, it is essential to reaffirm the role of ethics as a fundamental basis for a fair, humanized medical practice centered on respect for human dignity, especially in contexts of vulnerability.

Keywords: Aristotelian Ethics, medical ethics; obstetric violence, human dignity.