A new Ireland-wide consent document has been drafted by the HSE, or Health Service Executive, which “provides health and social services to everyone in Ireland,” according to their Website. ”There is no single national HSE Consent policy and supporting documentation on this issue. The aim of the NCAG is to develop one overarching policy for consent in health and social care,” according to the forward signed by National Consent Advisory Group Chair, Deirdre Madden and the National Director of Quality & Patient Safety Dr. Philip Crowley on May 18, 2012 The draft is quite comprehensive and goes into great detail to discuss the concept of consent, what is required to obtain and document such information and what to do should a person not be able to provide his or her own approval or refusal to treatment. However, it seems professionals became a bit lost on the idea of foetal personhood vs. the rights of the pregnant mother. Despite stating that all patients who have the capacity to make their own informed decisions, even if the result is their own untimely death just one paragraph prior, the document denies full rights of consent to pregnant women. It states: 7.8.1 Refusal of treatment in pregnancy This clause requires further understanding into what the Irish Constitution of 1937 says on foetal personhood. It states in 40.3.3: “The state acknowledges the right to the life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to the life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.”
It goes on to read that a pregnant woman has the freedom to travel between states, even if to find information on services otherwise allotted in those other states. Many women and midwives across the globe are being forced “underground” for their labors, and sometimes even their prenatal care. In some cases, women take matters into their own homes, in others, they leave the state to find appropriate care as was well stated in the recent Maryland hearing for certified midwifes. This new consent document could serve to further that situation as they may feel threatened by the “serious risk” that is not defined by this clause. On the same token, this new consent document, along with other Irish laws, dictate that parents have the right to make decisions for their minor children in regards to their healthcare. What makes this unborn child different than an older child in terms of parental rights? This new document raises a lot of questions for women’s rights. For example:
The Draft National Consent Policy has recently been questioned by advocates partly due to several Ireland-specific cases regarding the recent care of pregnant mothers including high court cases and deaths after C-sections. It is important to note that the process of “Actively Managed Labor” was created in Dublin, Ireland in the 1970s, a process that quickly swept the globe and “revolutionized” maternity care systems world-wide. This is the current preferred method of care one might find in most maternity wards. The final document was set to be completed after feedback was submitted by Sept. 2012. The draft, published in May 2012, has yet to be approved What are your thoughts on this draft? What if it is finalized as written? How do you think this could impact Irish mothers and mothers across the globe?
12 Comments
3/14/2013 01:04:33 pm
"On the same token, this new consent document, along with other Irish laws, dictate that parents have the right to make decisions for their minor children in regards to their healthcare. What makes this unborn child different than an older child in terms of parental rights?"
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6/20/2013 06:18:04 pm
Generally speaking, there is no guaranteed technique for easy and quick conception. However, you can take certain steps if you want to increase your chances or learn how to get pregnant fast.
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Annee
10/24/2013 06:14:08 am
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10/24/2013 06:23:51 am
The pregnant women's rights in Ireland are very high and the first time I read about women's rights. Many developed countries have their own women's rights but these are little bit new for me because I didn't read such kind of stuff before. I hope many other countries organizations and Government will introduce such kinds of women's rights.
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10/28/2013 11:38:44 pm
I am very much overwhelmed by your thoughts for this particular story. A more deeper and staged knowledge would be good for me
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3/29/2014 06:25:21 pm
I think that pregnant women should have better rights
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6/26/2014 08:24:37 pm
We a human get pregnancy she fell something different as compair to normal living lady and we should care of that woman. In many developed country have good right of human to make her save.
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8/12/2014 05:21:33 pm
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