I recently read a really wonderful articlethat asked some thought-provoking questions about medically managed pregnancy and childbirth. Namely, can informed consent in truly exist in an environment where choices are actively – and subversively – shaped by “the system?” What about when “the system” uses fear to motivate and influence choice in a particular direction?
It is such a difficult thing to extract autonomy and personal choice from the context in which they are created - so many things influence our decision-making process, many of which we are not even aware of. When it comes to pregnancy and childbirth, there are a lot of decisions to be made...and yet so few of those who we see as "key players" in pregnancy and childbirth are culturally perceived as capable and competent to make these decisions. The "gut instincts" of mothers and fathers are routinely seen as being unscientific and uninformed and, therefore, not worthy of consideration.