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Quality of Informed Consent Practices around the Time of Childbirth: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italy

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  • Emanuelle Pessa Valente

    (Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, WHO Collaborating Centre for Maternal and Child Health, Via dell’Istria 65/1, 34137 Trieste, Italy)

  • Ilaria Mariani

    (Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, WHO Collaborating Centre for Maternal and Child Health, Via dell’Istria 65/1, 34137 Trieste, Italy)

  • Benedetta Covi

    (Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, WHO Collaborating Centre for Maternal and Child Health, Via dell’Istria 65/1, 34137 Trieste, Italy)

  • Marzia Lazzerini

    (Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, WHO Collaborating Centre for Maternal and Child Health, Via dell’Istria 65/1, 34137 Trieste, Italy)

Abstract

Background: Few studies have explored consent request practices during childbirth. Objective: We explored consent request practices during childbirth in a referral hospital and research centre in Italy, capturing both women and health workers’ perspectives. Methods: Data were collected using self-administrated questionnaires between December 2016 and September 2018. Nine key maternal and newborn procedures were analysed. Associations between consent requests and women characteristics were explored by multiple logistic regression. Results: Among 1244 women, the rate of consent requests varied widely, with caesarean section (CS) showing the highest rate (89.1%) and neonatal conjunctivitis prophylaxis presenting the lowest rate (11.4%). Information provided on “risks/benefits” and “reasons” for procedures by health staff was most often not comprehensive for procedures of interest (range 18.6–87.4%). The lack of informed consent is not specifically linked to any pattern of women characteristics. According to 105 health workers, adequate protocols and standard forms for consent requests were available in 67.6% and 78.1% of cases, respectively, while less than one third (31.4%) reported having received adequate training and supportive supervision on how to deliver informed consent. Conclusions: Study findings align with previous evidence showing that consent request practices during childbirth need to be largely improved. More research is needed to investigate effective strategies for improvement.

Suggested Citation

  • Emanuelle Pessa Valente & Ilaria Mariani & Benedetta Covi & Marzia Lazzerini, 2022. "Quality of Informed Consent Practices around the Time of Childbirth: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-13, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:12:p:7166-:d:836478
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mariana Widmer & Mercedes Bonet & Ana Pilar Betrán, 2020. "Would you like to participate in this trial? The practice of informed consent in intrapartum research in the last 30 years," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, January.
    2. Meghan A Bohren & Joshua P Vogel & Erin C Hunter & Olha Lutsiv & Suprita K Makh & João Paulo Souza & Carolina Aguiar & Fernando Saraiva Coneglian & Alex Luíz Araújo Diniz & Özge Tunçalp & Dena Javadi , 2015. "The Mistreatment of Women during Childbirth in Health Facilities Globally: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(6), pages 1-32, June.
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