Exploring Paradigms Around Consent and Birth Trauma
- Duration: 60 Mins
- Credits: 1 CERP, 1 R-CERP, 0.1 Midwifery CEU
- Handout: Yes
Abstract:
Traditionally, an outcome focus has often been considered as the measure of ‘success’ in birth. When it comes to consent, that outcome tends to be ‘a live healthy baby’ and ‘the authority to do what is deemed desirable or necessary’. Considering an epidemic of birth trauma and the associations with the #metoo movement in birth, it is evident that this is not success for women and families. It is a narrow and damaging view that needs to be explored, understood, and changes made. The process of consent is valued, tangible, ethically and legally sanctioned, and provides key moments in care, to incorporate such change. A paradigm shift around consent is vital to address the experiences of assault and trauma in perinatal care. Conversation with families about consent is also a potential starting point to consciously address and intervene in damaging processes, and improve experiences, that could then be normalized and ripple out across all care delivery. Practical measures around consent and care processes will be explored with the aim to offer an intervention, when used consistently, to break the human mode of transmission of birth trauma, metaphorically, much like handwashing in our current pandemic.
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe what is meant by "changing the measure of success from the outcome to the process".
2. Explain how an awareness of patterns and approaches to consent could be used to reduce birth trauma.
3. Identify practical approaches for our care delivery with an ‘E.S.I.A’ approach to consent.
4. Describe how this awareness and approach could support a cultural shift around maternity care.
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