Miss Mariyah Hoosenally1
1Deakin University
Vaginal delivery is a natural process and the mainstream mode of delivery in Australia. Informed consent is not required for vaginal delivery, despite it posing well documented risks.
There are short and long term risks of vaginal delivery that can significantly impact a patient’s life, such as incontinence and organ prolapse. Pregnant patients in Australia are not informed on these risks prior to delivery, despite other medical procedures with similar risk rates requiring informed consent. This inconsistency is attributed to the presumption that mandating informed consent will lead to increased Caesarean sections, which may overburden health services. It is also presumed that by overmedicalizing the natural birth process, there will be a loss of trust in the healthcare system.
However, neglecting to inform patients on the risks of vaginal delivery can also threaten patients trust in the healthcare system, which has serious economic and medicolegal consequences. Failure to warn high-risk pregnancy patients on vaginal delivery complications has been legally recognised as a failure to uphold the doctors duty to inform. Therefore, healthcare workers should discuss the risks of all delivery modes to empower pregnant patients to make an autonomous decision in their reproductive health.
Stakeholders involved in reproductive health need to eminently consider the feasibility of implementing guidelines on informed consent for vaginal delivery. Specialist training should be provided to healthcare professionals in communicating risks whilst promoting shared decision making. Trials of informed consent in maternity units should be initiated to assess a patient’s birth preparedness and public health impacts.
Biography:
Mariyah Hoosenally is a final year medical student from Deakin University, completing her clinical studies at Ballarat Health Services. Her research interests include urogynaecology, diversity and inclusion in medicine, and palliative care. When not buried in a textbook, you can find her rock climbing or caravanning in the Grampians.