29.07.15
Who decides?
Most healthcare professionals recognise the value of giving patients not just information but also a say in their own care, and the ability to make decisions about how they are treated. It’s not always acted on, for practical, cultural or negligent reason, but the desire is usually there.
But one area where choice seems to matter less is in the maternity ward. For various reasons – detailed at length in our story today – women at this crucial time in their lives sometimes get forced into certain birthing options by ‘hospital policy’, even if clinical evidence and personal choice says something different.
The piece is particularly topical, with the publication today of new research on breech births in the BJOG. Tell us what you think.