Informed Consent & Refusal

The ethical and legal principle that care requires understanding what's proposed, why, and what the alternatives are — and that you can decline.

Each link opens the full review on the publisher's site in a new tab.

• ACOG Committee Opinion 819: Informed Consent and Shared Decision Making in Obstetrics and Gynecology↗ACOG
• ACOG Committee Opinion 664: Refusal of Medically Recommended Treatment During Pregnancy↗ACOG

• ·Supports autonomy and shared decision-makingReview sources ↓
• ·Helps you understand what is being offered and whyReview sources ↓

• ·Declining recommended care may carry medical risks; ask for specificsReview sources ↓

• ·Ask for time, ask for alternatives, ask what happens if you waitReview sources ↓

Informed consent and shared decision-making are ethical standards in obstetric care. ACOG states that patients should receive information about benefits, risks, alternatives, and the option to refuse recommended care; forced compliance is not consent. In an emergency, the conversation may be shorter, but the care team should still explain what is happening as clearly as possible. This topic is the home base for BRAIN questions throughout the app.

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.

• Induction of LaborMedical methods used to start labor before it begins on its own — see the method-specific topics below for details.
• Cesarean BirthPlanned and unplanned cesarean: what's involved and what to consider.
• Fetal MonitoringContinuous vs intermittent monitoring of the baby's heart rate during labor.
• Pitocin After Birth (Third Stage of Labor)A dose of synthetic oxytocin often offered after baby is born to help the uterus contract as the placenta is delivered.
• Delayed / Optimal Cord ClampingWaiting at least 30–60 seconds (often longer) after birth before clamping and cutting the umbilical cord.

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?

Tap a source to open the original guideline or review in a new tab.

• ·ACOG Committee Opinion 819: Informed Consent and Shared Decision Making in Obstetrics and Gynecology↗ — ACOG
• ·ACOG Committee Opinion 664: Refusal of Medically Recommended Treatment During Pregnancy↗ — ACOG

Written in plain language from general guidance published by the listed organizations. No verbatim excerpts; editors should re-verify wording and citations against current source versions before publish.

Last reviewed: 2026-07-02

• v1.1.0 · 2026-07-02 · LlaMamma editors

  Expanded informed-consent language and connected it to intervention topics.

  Sources: ACOG Committee Opinion 819; ACOG Committee Opinion 664

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.