Many women go into labor and don't know their human rights as far as childbirth is concerned.It is very unfortunate that birth trauma is a very real In this post I will enlighten you about:
Table Of Contents
1.What Is birth trauma?
2.What are birth rights?
3.What are my human rights in childbirth?
4. What are my legal rights in childbirth?
5.What can I do if my rights are violated or infringed?
6.How do I overcome a traumatic birth event?
Conclusion
Introduction
A major life event that most individuals will always remember is giving birth. Childbirth trauma is an awful reality, even if it can be one of the most happy moments of your life. About 45% of moms say they had a traumatic birth. Knowing your birth rights can reduce the likelihood of a stressful birth experience and help shield you from provider abuse.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events. Read more here.
Learn more about your rights about birthing as you continue reading.
1.What Is Trauma at Birth?
Birth trauma is a major injury that happens after childbirth and has a negative influence on your physical or mental health. After a stressful birth experience, up to 33% of women get PTSD symptoms.
- Birth trauma is frequently brought on by:
- crisis c-section
- mistreatment of providers and a neglect of respect or obstetric violence
- NICU transfer
- Poor pain relief
- Injury
- A very long labor
- Precipitous labor
Symptoms of PTSD from birth trauma include:
- Flashbacks or intrusive thoughts about your birth experience
- Nightmares
- Difficulty sleeping
- Anxiety
- Extreme fear of another pregnancy or birth
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
Birth trauma is more likely to occur in patients who belong to other marginalized groups. This includes patients who are non-English speakers, transsexual, mentally ill, jailed, undocumented, and patients of color.
2.How Do Birth Rights Work?
Birthrights are the moral and legal rights that a woman in labor enjoys when giving birth.
During childbirth, you are entitled to both legal and human rights.
Your most fundamental and ethical rights as a person, such as the right to liberty and the right to free speech, are known as human rights. Your legal rights are those that you have under state and local legislation.
Some human rights are also protected by the law, whereas others are not.
Many of the human rights of expectant and laboring patients are not legally guaranteed in the United States. For instance, the United States is the only developed nation where access to healthcare for expectant mothers and newborns is not a given.
Pregnant women in the United States may find it difficult or impossible to exercise some of their legal rights around labor and delivery. For instance, most people agree that having the option to select your birthplace is a fundamental human right.
However, in some locations it may be impossible or extremely difficult to obtain a qualified healthcare professional to attend an out-of-hospital birth due to state laws governing homebirth midwives.
3.What Human Rights Do I Have During Childbirth?
Examples of birthrights include:
1.The right to independence/ Autonomy
What transpires to your property is entirely up to you.
2. The right to independence
You have the right to control what happens to your body and to reject any prescribed treatments or medical interventions. You have the choice, for instance, to eat and drink during labor, decline an induction, and give birth in the position of your choosing.
You have the freedom to pick the location of your labor and delivery, go against medical advice, and leave the hospital or birthing facility. These rights are not overridden by hospital policies.
3.The right to knowledge
You have the right to complete information about any prescribed drug or procedure, the potential advantages and disadvantages, and your available options. You are free to select any available course of action, including the option to take no action.
4.You have the right to an interpreter
to explain your alternatives if you do not speak English well.
5.The Right to Support
You are entitled to the freedom of choice when it comes to your labor and delivery support team. These individuals could be your partner or another family member, a friend, or a qualified support person like a doula. You have the right to ask anyone, including your caregivers and supporters, to leave.
6.The right to respect
Your care professionals must respect you and speak to you respectfully. Your caregivers do not have the authority to make you feel bad about yourself or physically compel you to do anything you don't want to.
No matter your age, you deserve to be treated with respect.
Regardless of your age, color, ethnicity, immigrant status, socioeconomic situation, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability, you have the right to be treated with respect.
7.Parental Rights
You have the right to object to being taken away from your child. If you decide to breastfeed or give your child a bottle, you have the right to do so. You are entitled to make well-informed medical choices for your child, including rejecting advised treatment.
However, if medical professionals think your refusal counts as abuse or neglect, they must notify child protective services (CPS).
4.What Legal Rights Do I Have During Childbirth?
- Legal rights related to childbirth are generally governed by state law in the United States or your country.
- Conflicts between a patient's legal rights and human rights may arise as a result of procedures like restrictions on midwifery care, standards of care that put the needs of the fetus before those of the mother, and court-ordered c-sections.
- Some patient human rights, however, are legislated to be protected. The rights to privacy, autonomy, and refusal of medical treatment are all well-established legal principles.
5.How Do I React if My Rights Are Infringed?
You have a few options if your rights during pregnancy or labor and delivery are being infringed:
1.Record the Offense
Requesting that the situation be noted in your medical record by your provider. You might also think about bringing your own records, such as pictures, videos, audio recordings of your interactions with your doctor, or notes. In court or while making a formal complaint, you might want supporting documentation.
2.Declare Your Wishes Clearly
Simple, direct expressions like "I do not consent" and "Stop, I am saying no" can help clear up any misunderstandings regarding your preferences. Confirm with your healthcare practitioner that they hear you say "no" and that they are aware of your refusal to give consent.
3.Ask to see written policies.
You are not required to believe anything your provider says. Request written documentation of any hospital policy or research-based information. Ask for a second opinion if you like.
4.Request more details
Are you sure this is an emergency? Asking "What happens if we wait?" and "What are all of my options?" can buy you some time and reestablish contact with your caregivers.
5.Speak with an advocate for patients
Patient advocates are available in most hospitals to intervene in heated situations between patients and healthcare professionals or to address patient concerns.
6.Bring a Dispute in Court
You have the right to file a formal complaint about a violation with the hospital, the hospital's oversight body, the state medical board, or any combination of the three.
6.How do I recover from a traumatic
Many women and their families find it very hard to move away from a traumatised birth experience and I understand why. It is difficult and leaves scars. However, I have some advice that could help you. If you are someone who has experienced a traumatic birth, I am so sorry this has happened to you and I hope you recover well. Read more here.
Know that God cares deeply for you and with Him you can heal. I encourage you to give it all to Him because He deeply cares for you.
Conclusion
So we have come to the end of this article. I hope you learned something important about your rights. As the title implies: Secrets About Your Childbirth Rights You ought To Know- was written to inform you about your legal rights. Many persons are unaware of these rights and everyone ought to know. What are your concerns about human rights/ Please comment and share on social media . Visit us on BLOG HERE
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