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Informed decision making in maternity care
1HOLLY GOLDBERG is a doctoral candidate in prenatal and perinatal psychology at Santa Barbara Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, California. For more than 14 years, she has worked in the birthing field as a researcher, advocate, childbirth educator, prenatal yoga and t'ai chi instructor, and birth attendant .
The Journal of Perinatal Education
|May 14, 2009
Summary
Maternity care informed consent is often restricted, limiting pregnant patients' access to crucial evidence-based research. This breakdown impacts care decisions, especially with rising US perinatal risks.
Area of Science:
- Maternal Health
- Healthcare Policy
- Informed Consent
Background:
- Federal acts and professional guidelines mandate informed consent in maternity care.
- Current healthcare practices show inconsistent implementation of informed consent.
- Rising perinatal mortality, morbidity, and disparities underscore the need for evidence-based maternity care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the barriers and breakdown of informed consent in maternity care.
- To highlight the importance of patient access to evidence-based research for informed decision-making.
Main Methods:
- Review of federal acts, regulations, and professional guidelines.
- Analysis of current healthcare practices regarding informed consent in maternity care.
- Investigation by the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services.
Main Results:
- Informed consent in maternity care is frequently restricted and inconsistently applied.
- Patient access to evidence-based research is often limited, hindering informed decision-making.
- Breakdown in informed consent processes is evident in current maternity care.
Conclusions:
- Ensuring informed consent in maternity care requires addressing the inconsistent implementation and restricted access to information.
- Strengthening informed consent is critical to improving maternal health outcomes and reducing disparities.
- Patient empowerment through access to evidence-based research is essential for safe and equitable maternity care.
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