Advocating patient safety and birth-model choice
AMA Queensland submitted comprehensive and frank feedback on Queensland Clinical Guidelines' Normal Birth v4 & Supplement on 5 August 2022.
The guideline is not evidence-based or consistent with best practice models of care. It threatens the safety of patients and babies and AMA Queensland cannot support it. It is also distinctly pro-midwife and anti-obstetricians and obstetric treatment; includes the selective use of data and emotive language; and prioritises an ideological position (midwife-led, vaginal delivery without obstetric treatment) over scientific evidence, patient safety and patient choice. This denigrates the reputation of maternity professionals generally and the guidelines' proponents in particular.
Given the increasing failure of public sector maternity services, now more than ever it is vital that clinical guidelines promote patient safety and choice. The guideline fails to achieve either and AMA Queensland opposes its implementation.
AMA Queensland's full submission can be accessed here.