Croakey blog posting

Here is a link to a blog post I spotted on Croakey

It has the headline,
"Concerns continue about unsafe home birth practices: Dr Andrew Pesce"

I have left a comment because I don't like the general tone of the post.

Here is my response,

The issue that this doesn’t address is one of informed choice. I would like to remind people of the RANZCOG guidelines for standards of maternity care in Australia and New Zealand,
“1.5 Women who have been fully informed regarding a recommended course of action, and the potential consequences of not pursuing such management, should have their decisions respected if they decline.”p.6

I would also like to remind people of the following from the National Guidance on collaborative maternity care document published by the Australian Government NHMRC,
“Documentation should include clear and consistent records of: information provided to the woman and indications that the messages have been understood, informed consent, responsibility and accountability for decisions, and the woman’s understanding of risk and her responsibility for her own choices and decisions about care, especially if these decisions are in conflict with professional
advice (in such circumstances it must be clearly documented that the woman has accepted a certain level of risk).
A woman decides who she involves in this decision-making process, be it a health professional, partner, doula, her extended family, friends or community, and should be free to consider their advice without being pressured, coerced, induced or forced into care that is not what she desires (McLean and Petersen 1996).Women have the right to decline care or advice if they choose, or to withdraw consent at any time. Therefore, if a woman declines care or advice based on the information provided, her choice must be respected (UNESCO 2005). Importantly, women should not be ‘abandoned’ because of their choice (FPA Health and Read 2006, Faunce 2008; NHMRC consultations 2009).” p.14

The ACM therefore are the only organisation that sought to deny these rights to women and actively encouraged midwives to refuse to attend a woman in labour by issuing this ‘interim home birth statement’. I also stress it was an INTERIM statement which has now been voted on my the membership to be withdrawn. I would remind any midwife that under the law as it stands should a woman have consulted her at any time during her pregnancy that a therapeutic relationship has been established and should she then refuse to attend that woman in labour she could be prosecuted.
The real issue is that where informed consent has taken place there is no protection for the midwife she looses on all counts. Can be prosecuted should she refuse to attend, prosecuted if she attends and struck off. I love that you wish to portray us as ‘demons’ but please stick to the real issues and quit with all the professional personal attacks.