[How to gather consent in a gynecology consultation? The patient's point of view]

Consent is at the heart of the prevention of gynecological and obstetrical violence during gynecological consultations. These are moments of vulnerability that affect the patient's intimacy. To this day, the form and quality of consent gathering remains vague notions, and existing data are poor. The main objective of this study is to investigate patients' perceptions of consent during gynecological examinations. The secondary objectives are to investigate patients' expectations of consent gathering and the factors influencing it.

Qualitative study based on individual semi-directed interviews in Isère, Drôme and Savoie.

The study involved twenty French patients aged between 25 and 57. Consent is represented in a variety of ways: taking a real yes, gathering implicit consent, feeling respected and confident, receiving explanations and having freedom of choice. In the light of negative experiences, the ideal consultation would be with practitioners who are gentles, benevolents, empathetics. They should take time, allow quality exchanges and explanations, gather oral consent and take pain into account, so that the patient feels respected, heard and safe, accompanied with solutions and has freedom to choose.

Consent is more than a simple request; it is a combination of factors. It should be rethought not as a contract protecting the caregiver, but as an opportunity to create a therapeutic alliance to support the patient's choices and her autonomy. These changes, combined with those in caregiving practices, will make it possible to move from rape culture to consent culture.