What it is
Advocacy in a medical setting is less about being confrontational and more about being specific. A short, calm script buys time and shifts the conversation from 'do you consent?' to 'help me understand.' These are starting points — adapt the wording to your voice.
Evidence review links
Each link opens the full review on the publisher's site in a new tab.
- The SHARE Approach: Essential Steps of Shared DecisionmakingAHRQ
- Ask Me 3: Good Questions for Your Good HealthInstitute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) / NPSF
- How to advocate for yourself during labor and birthEvidence Based Birth
- ACOG Committee Opinion 819: Informed Consent and Shared Decision MakingACOG
Possible benefits
- Reduces the freeze that happens when you're put on the spotReview sources ↓
- Signals that you expect a shared decision, not a one-way recommendationReview sources ↓
- Gives partners and doulas words to use on your behalf if you can't speak in the momentReview sources ↓
Possible risks
- A script isn't a shield — pushback still happens; having a support person mattersReview sources ↓
- Tone matters; the same words can land as collaborative or combative depending on deliveryReview sources ↓
Alternatives
- Ask for time: 'I need 10 minutes alone with my partner before we decide.'Review sources ↓
- Ask for evidence: 'What does the current guideline say, and is this recommended for my situation specifically?'Review sources ↓
- Use BRAIN: Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition, Nothing (what if we wait or do nothing?)Review sources ↓
- Decline gently: 'I understand your recommendation. I'm going to decline for now. Please note that in the chart and let me know what signs would change the plan.'Review sources ↓
- Ask for names: 'Can you write your name and role in my chart with this recommendation?'Review sources ↓
- Request escalation: 'I'd like to speak with the charge midwife / attending / patient advocate before we go further.'Review sources ↓
- Name the pressure: 'I'm noticing this feels rushed. Is this an emergency, or do I have time?'Review sources ↓
Current evidence
There isn't a randomized trial for wording, but decision-science research (AHRQ SHARE Approach, Ask-Me-3, teach-back method) consistently shows that structured question prompts improve information exchange, understanding, and satisfaction in clinical visits. Evidence Based Birth and Childbirth Connection have published widely-used scripts based on this literature. Doulas of North America (DONA) and Lamaze also teach advocacy phrasing as part of standard childbirth education.
Where the evidence is clear · where people may choose differently
For most topics, guidelines from ACOG, WHO, and other major bodies broadly agree on the core safety points (when to act in an emergency, informed-consent standards, monitoring baselines). Where reasonable people — and even guidelines — differ tends to be around thresholds (when to start or stop something), preferences (comfort, environment, support), and values (how you weigh small risks against benefits). Use the questions below to explore those pieces with your care team.
Educational only. Your care team can help you weigh what applies to your specific situation.
Related evidence topics
- Informed Consent & RefusalYour right to information about, and to accept or decline, any proposed care.
- Informed RefusalYour right to decline any test, procedure, or medication — even one that's recommended — after understanding the trade-offs.
- Shared Decision-MakingA conversation where your values and preferences shape the plan alongside the clinical evidence — not a checkbox on a consent form.
- Maternity Rights in CareLegal and ethical rights that apply in prenatal visits, labor, birth, and postpartum — including the right to refuse, to move, to have support, and to leave.
Questions to ask your care team
- ?Is this an emergency, urgent, or routine — and how much time do I have to decide?
- ?What are the benefits, risks, and alternatives, including doing nothing?
- ?What would change your recommendation?
- ?Can you note in my chart that I've asked for time to consider this?
- ?If we do nothing for the next hour, what would you watch for?
Universal questions (works for any decision)
A short BRAIN-style set you can bring to any conversation about interventions, monitoring, or care decisions.
- ?Why are you recommending this now — is it urgent, routine, or optional?
- ?What happens if we wait an hour (or longer) before deciding?
- ?What signs would tell us this is working — or that we need to change course?
- ?What are the alternatives, including doing nothing?
- ?What would you recommend if this were your family?
- ?What would change your recommendation?
Sources & provenance
Tap a source to open the original guideline or review in a new tab.
- The SHARE Approach: Essential Steps of Shared Decisionmaking — AHRQ
- Ask Me 3: Good Questions for Your Good Health — Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) / NPSF
- How to advocate for yourself during labor and birth — Evidence Based Birth
- ACOG Committee Opinion 819: Informed Consent and Shared Decision Making — ACOG
Written in plain, neutral language from general guidance and communication frameworks published by the listed organizations. No verbatim excerpts; editors should re-verify wording and citations against current source versions before publish.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-03
Further reading — canonical references
Read the source material directly. Each link opens the publisher's own current guidance in a new tab — cross-check what we summarize against what they say.
Tier 1 · Clinical guidelines
Tier 2 · Systematic reviews
Educational only. Guidelines evolve — the linked publisher pages will reflect newer guidance than any static snapshot.
Version history — v1.0.0
v1.0.0 · 2026-07-03 · LlaMamma editors
Added advocacy scripts topic with AHRQ, IHI, and ACOG references.
Sources: AHRQ SHARE Approach; IHI Ask Me 3; ACOG Committee Opinion 819
New guidance from ACOG, WHO, Evidence Based Birth, or other listed sources is recorded here and can be updated remotely without a new app release.