Informed Consent and Decision Making in Maternity Care
Health research has found that consumers of medical services achieve the best outcomes in their care when they are actively engaged in the decision making for their care. This has led to the implementation of Australia's national safety and quality in health care policy Standard 2: Partnering with Consumers. This, combined with the little understood human rights in childbirth, has led us to create this project to inform families and clinicians of rights and responsibilities in informed consent in maternity care.
The Project has included several elements including live PBB Talks events, a mini podcast series and various articles.
The Project has included several elements including live PBB Talks events, a mini podcast series and various articles.
- PBB Talks with Milli Hill: Positive Birthing in a Complex World: What informed consent looks like in pregnancy, birth and postpartum
In Mullumbimby, NSW and in Robina, Gold Coast, QLD on 7 November 2017 - PBB Talks: A Close Look at Informed Consent with Dr Bec Jenkinson
At Gold Coast Univ. Hospital on 21 April 2018 - PBB Talks: A Close Look at Informed Consent - for Clinicians with Dr Bec Jenkinson
At Southern Cross University, Gold Coast on 9 July 2018.
Catch the free recording of our A Close Look at Informed Consent event here.
Feedback from PBB Talk with Dr Bec Jenkinson:
"A Close Look at Informed Consent"
"It makes it clearer because it is one of those really hard arenas to negotiate when you're working with other clinicians who may not see it the same as you."
"It's a lot of food for thought."
"Very informative. I'm a midwifery student... really good to hear and not what we see a lot in practice as well... a lot to take into my future practice."
"It's reaffirming to hear there are strategies in place to try and combat these problems... it's about getting everyone on board... I wish .. this talk could go out further and wider."
"This has been an amazing day."
"I'm across Bec's research and always love hearing her speak."
Related podcasts
"As Long as the Baby is Healthy"
We all want a healthy baby, there's no question of that, but Sally, a long time maternity consumer representative and advocate, believes there are underlying beliefs to the common phrase "As long as the baby is healthy" that deserve closer examination. It sounds like we're giving up elements of birth that we think may not be important when we say this, but are those elements really not that important?
Sally has identified 6 underlying beliefs to the statement "As long as the baby is healthy", but there are bound to be more. These are:
1. “I am not qualified. Someone else needs to manage my birth.”
2. “My rights and my health and safety are subordinate to my baby’s. I must comply with my carer’s treatment.”
3. “The hospital/my maternity carer wants the same outcome as me.”
4. “Birth is dangerous and needs to be managed medically. Positive births are due to luck.”
5. “Labour and birth are simply painful, pointless torture. My partner has only a limited ability to support the process.”
6. “My experience is irrelevant and women who seek a positive experience are selfish and exposing the baby to risk.”
In Part 1 of this 2 part series, Sally covers underlying beliefs 1-3, which focus on women's rights in childbirth and informed consent.
In Part 2 Sally covers beliefs 4-6, which relate to the physical aspects of the birth process: http://www.spreaker.com/user/pregnancybirthandbeyond/as-long-as-the-baby-is-healthy-part-2
*CLARIFICATION: At 1'16" insert "normal risk" to read "Over 90% of 'normal risk' Australian women go into labour with no pre-existing conditions"
Speakers:
Bashi Hazard, Human Rights Lawyer, www.humanrightsinchildbirth.org
Bec Jenkinson, Univ. Queensland PhD candidate and maternity services consumer advocate
Sally has identified 6 underlying beliefs to the statement "As long as the baby is healthy", but there are bound to be more. These are:
1. “I am not qualified. Someone else needs to manage my birth.”
2. “My rights and my health and safety are subordinate to my baby’s. I must comply with my carer’s treatment.”
3. “The hospital/my maternity carer wants the same outcome as me.”
4. “Birth is dangerous and needs to be managed medically. Positive births are due to luck.”
5. “Labour and birth are simply painful, pointless torture. My partner has only a limited ability to support the process.”
6. “My experience is irrelevant and women who seek a positive experience are selfish and exposing the baby to risk.”
In Part 1 of this 2 part series, Sally covers underlying beliefs 1-3, which focus on women's rights in childbirth and informed consent.
In Part 2 Sally covers beliefs 4-6, which relate to the physical aspects of the birth process: http://www.spreaker.com/user/pregnancybirthandbeyond/as-long-as-the-baby-is-healthy-part-2
*CLARIFICATION: At 1'16" insert "normal risk" to read "Over 90% of 'normal risk' Australian women go into labour with no pre-existing conditions"
Speakers:
Bashi Hazard, Human Rights Lawyer, www.humanrightsinchildbirth.org
Bec Jenkinson, Univ. Queensland PhD candidate and maternity services consumer advocate
"A Baby on the Way"
This special feature series contains 10 x 6 minute podcasts that succinctly summarise the main preparations for the arrival of your baby.
Part 3 of A Baby on the Way is particularly relevant to informed consent and arguably one of the most important topics for achieving the best outcomes for birthing parent and baby.
Part 3 of A Baby on the Way is particularly relevant to informed consent and arguably one of the most important topics for achieving the best outcomes for birthing parent and baby.
You can access the whole 10 part series of A Baby on the Way for free here.
Title page photo credit: Rachel Weber from Feather Touch Photography