Maureen Corry, executive director of Childbirth Connection, provides an overview of the state of shared decision making and maternity care. This presentation was part of a Shared Decision Making Month webinar -- Maternity Care and Shared Decision Making: Improving Care for Mothers and Babies.

1. Maternity Care and Shared
Decision Making:
Working Together to
Improve Care for Mothers
and Babies
Informed Medical Decisions
Foundation Webinar
March 13, 2013
Maureen Corry, MPH
Executive Director
Childbirth Connection
www.childbirthconnection.org

2. Childbirth Connection
• National non-profit organization founded in 1918
as Maternity Center Association
• Mission is to improve the quality and value of
maternity care through consumer engagement
and health system transformation
www.childbirthconnection.org

3. First National Maternity Care
Shared Decision Making
Initiative
Partnership between Informed
Medical Decisions Foundation and
Childbirth Connection
www.childbirthconnection.org

4. Solution: Shared Decision Making
“Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative process that
allows patients and their providers to make health care
treatment decisions together, taking into account the best
scientific evidence available, as well as the patient’s values
and preferences.”
www.informedmedicaldecisions.org
www.childbirthconnection.org

5. Challenges for U.S. Maternity Care
Maternity care is technology-intensive and
costly:
• overuse of practices that waste resources and may
cause harm
• underuse of many beneficial and generally safe
practices
• broad practice variation across hospitals, clinicians,
and geographic areas that cannot be explained by
needs and preferences of women
www.childbirthconnection.org

6. Evidence of Inadequate
Informed Consent
• Mothers felt pressure from a health professional to
have induction (17% with induction) and cesarean
(25% with cesarean)
• 82% of women having episiotomies did not give
consent (95% among African American women)
• 57% of women interested in a VBAC were denied the
option
• Most common reasons for denial: caregiver
unwillingness (45%) or hospital unwillingness (23%)
www.childbirthconnection.org

7. In her own words
I feel like really researching and having a good
understanding for the process (true informed consent)
and making my knowledge and wishes know to my
caregivers made the difference in my pregnancy, labor,
and delivery. You have to be your own advocate and not
accept substandard care from anyone. A doctor
provides a service, and if they don't treat you
well/respect you/ have similar philosophies, then it is
your right to find someone who will provide you the best
care.
www.childbirthconnection.org

8. Thank You!
Maureen Corry
Executive Director
Childbirth Connection
corry@childbirthconnection.org
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www.childbirthconnection.org