Informed consent is the cornerstone of making decisions in healthcare, especially during pregnancy and birth. It’s not just a checkbox, a signature, or a quick ‘yes’ in a rushed appointment. It’s a process – a dialogue between you and your care provider. Most importantly, it’s your right. But here’s the thing: informed consent is also your responsibility.
What is Informed Consent?
In simple terms, informed consent means being fully informed before giving your permission for any test, procedure, or intervention. It’s a two-step process:
- Get Informed: Understand the details – what’s being proposed, why it’s recommended, the benefits, the risks, and the alternatives.
- Give (or Withhold) Consent: Based on that information, decide what’s best for you and your baby.
There are no ifs, ands, or buts. It’s your body, your pregnancy, your birth – and ultimately, your decision.
Why Informed Consent Requires You to Be Proactive
It’s a hard truth to swallow, but you can’t assume that your doctor or midwife will always provide all the information you need to make a truly informed decision. In an ideal world, every care provider would carefully walk you through your options. But in 2025, as in years past, many women find themselves navigating a system that prioritises routine policies and time efficiency over individualised care.
This isn’t to suggest that your care providers are malicious or uncaring. Far from it. Many are compassionate professionals working within a system that doesn’t always make it easy to deliver personalised care. But this does mean that the responsibility to ask questions and seek out information ultimately falls to you.
The Key Questions to Ask
Whenever a test, procedure, or intervention is suggested, use these questions to guide your understanding:
- What is this, and why is it being recommended?
- What are the benefits?
- What are the risks?
- What are the alternatives?
- What happens if I say no or choose to wait?
These questions, often summarised as the BRAIN acronym (Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition, and doing Nothing), are powerful tools to help you gain clarity. Don’t be afraid to ask them – and don’t let anyone rush your decision-making process.
Trust Yourself
It can feel overwhelming to advocate for yourself, especially in a medical setting where it’s easy to defer to authority. But remember: no one else is living your experience. You are the one carrying your baby, the one giving birth, and the one who will live with the outcome of every decision made along the way.
Your instincts and intuition matter just as much as the information you gather. Trust yourself to ask the right questions, make thoughtful decisions, and stay aligned with your values.
Informed Consent is Power
By getting informed and giving (or withholding) consent, you’re not just participating in your care – you are taking ownership of your journey. It’s empowering to know that you have the right to question, the right to choose, and the right to say no if something doesn’t feel right for you or your baby.
Informed consent is your safeguard, your voice, and your power. Use it wisely and intentionally, and never let anyone make you feel like you need to give it away without understanding what it means.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’re ready to dive deeper into creating a birth experience that feels intentional, aligned, and uniquely yours, my ‘Discover Your North Star’ course is here to help. This transformative program will guide you through crafting your personalised Birth Manifesto – a living document rooted in your values, desires, and intuition.
With tools, reflection questions, and practical exercises, this course empowers you to make confident, informed choices about your pregnancy and birth. It’s about equipping you with clarity, confidence, and a deep connection to your inner wisdom, allowing you to navigate every step of this journey with ease.
Interested? Click here to learn more about the course and how it can support you on your journey.
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