A–Z Glossary

Informed refusal

A consent process in which a capable patient declines a recommended intervention after understanding risks, benefits, and alternatives.

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Can you refuse interventions and how to discuss with doctors

Can you refuse interventions and how to discuss with doctors

Your right to informed refusal In birth care, consent is not a form signed once at admission; it is an ongoing clinical conversation. If you are an adult with decision-making capacity, you generally have the right to accept or refuse a proposed intervention, including tests, medications, procedures, monitoring approaches, or delivery route recommendations. A refusal […]

How to avoid unnecessary interventions

How to avoid unnecessary interventions

Define necessity before labor becomes urgent Reducing unnecessary interventions in birth begins before the first contraction. A useful working definition is this: an intervention is necessary when it is expected to improve maternal, fetal, or newborn outcomes enough to justify its burdens and risks in the current situation. An intervention may be unnecessary when it […]