Informed consent: do you know what it is?

Midwives and doctors often don't inform people that they have a choice. They discuss the benefits and leave at that. This is because many people don't want to know the full details to make a decision, although for some doctors/midwives its a time issue as well.

I have worked with one doctor who complained when one patient was asking for lots of information before signing a consent, once I provided the written information he was fine. Yes the patient needed the procedure urgently but thats no reason to forget about the informed part of the informed consent. Ive also informed doctors that a patients consent isnt valid (after the doctor has supposedly completed an informed consent) sue to the patient being confused and not remembering they have signed the consent.

I think a lot of people on this website would do a lot of research into decisions they are making but a lot of people don't so assume doctors know best and that everything is a necessity. So while this question may not apply to people on this website it would to a lot of the general population.

Now I've thought about it, yes there are some things I wanted to refuse but felt pressured into because the MW "knew best". I think it's all about confidence and assertiveness and when in labour or hospital with your first it's hard to do that

MamaPickle wrote: I can't say I knew about "informed consent" as such, but I like to think I'm a grown up and can make my own choices regarding my own health/children, so I made sure I voiced my opinion all the way through both pregnancies. Luckily my MW and I were on the same page and I felt like she heard and respected me. However, regarding this: kakapo wrote: As Lynda Williams from the Maternity Services Consumer Council wrote in 2007: "Pregnancy has now become a 9-month long medical event in which women are encouraged to subject themselves to frequent testing, data collection, and an increasing amount of technology in order to help guarantee a perfect baby, and a painless and stress-free birth. What impact does this growing dependence on outside technology to confirm her health and that of her baby have on the woman and her experience of her pregnancy? How does it impact on the ability of her body to care for her baby before birth, to give birth, and to breastfeed her baby after the birth?" I completely disagree with this, and always have. Science and technology have a place in society - there's a line, absolutely - but I think it's a necessary part of life. Using it to placate paranoia is a bit extreme. But as a diagnostic tool it's great to have it! Someone very close to me had the life of her baby, and herself, saved by the routine nuchal scan. Had she not have had that things could've ended in disater. She had NO idea anything was untoward, but had the scan for the reason it was made for - to measure the nuchal fold - and discovered issues that were managed thanks to that scan. And, speaking for myself, I had the scans, blood tests and pee'd on a lot of stick - my labour and birth (while textbook) were NOT painless and stree-free as that quote suggests (however, my children are perfect ). Yes, 35 years ago when ultrasound didn't exist, babies were made, cooked and birthed just fine (a lot of us are living proof of that) but I do believe it's not the can of worms some people make it out to be! OK, rant over. interesting points to ponder

Totally 100% agree with you Charly!

I like the scans and I will have the blood tests and do the pee tests as I personally think they are important. If I hadnt of had my blood tests I would hever have known that my iron levels were at 80 at 36 weeks pregnant! I had to go into hospital for a iron infusion, because if i didnt and I had a bleed during birth, I could have gone into cardiac arrest and that scared the sh*t out of me!

Yeah but even if you dont have to, why wouldnt you? Especially for the reason I gave, if I had of saidm nah Im not having the tests done, i would have been in A LOT of trouble when I had Bella.

I know its personal choice, but to me it seems like your playing with fire.
I can understand not having internals, cos geez who wants those! but the other tests/scans and the doppler etc, I personally think those are very important.

cuppatea wrote: I suppose what it boils down to is would you be happy if it was "pee on this stick and you have no choice about it" which seems silly but then imagine if you were admitted to hospital and the OB said "I'm gonna do an internal and you have no choice" or" we're gonna give you a c/s and you have no choice" cos if you don't realise you have one or it's not explained to you that you have one they may as well say that to you.

I dont think its as black and white as that though - its not a case of "we are going to do an internal and you have no choice"....its more of "we are going to do an internal." - without explaining that you have the right to ask why or ask about the risks and refuse if you want to. I think its just assumed that people understand that they have the right to refuse or question, but thats not always the case, and I dont think that the medical profession should be so blase about it.

This topic highlights why you need to have a good working relationship with your MW or LMC and know how they like to operate.
They were offering the H1N1 vaccine to pregnant women during my pregnancy and my MW said to go talk to my GP if I wanted it, as her philosophy was I shouldn't be putting anything additional into my body that isn't needed during pregnancy as its doing a hard enough job as it is.

With blood tests, scans etc I always knew what they were for and why I was having them.
I am over 35 and have 0- blood type and I'm overweight, so my bt were mostly to screen for antibodies and 12 weeks scan / bloods to screen for downs risk, and polycose is for GD all standard really.

I found the scans helped Dh connect better with my pregnancy and our baby.
I didn't have any intervention with my labour and birth and based on this experience I would consider going direct to the birthing centre instead of hospital.