The Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) Reproductive Health Workgroup updated our position paper, Informed Decision-Making for Labour & Birth, to reflect new and emerging evidence and resources.  What does the position paper say?The paper advocates for a comprehensive approach to informed decision-making for labour and birth in Ontario.  It frames the issue around the importance of physiological labour and birth and informed decision-making as disease prevention and health promotion strategies. It includes a review of the current evidence; existing challenges and opportunities; and promising strategies and resources for service delivery.  Why now?Emerging evidence suggests that physiological labour and birth has significant benefits that optimize the lifelong health and wellness of people giving birth and their infants. However, high rates of common maternity care practices and interventions are occurring in the absence of complications and/or without support from high quality evidence. These interventions may disrupt the hormonally based processes important to lifelong health. Informed decision-making is presented as an important strategy for supporting physiological labour and birth.  What can you do?OPHA believes that all health care providers, including public health practitioners, play a vital role in supporting pregnant people to make informed decisions for labour and birth.  We invite you to read the paper and implement the recommendations where you have influence to affect change.  Your work, in addition to the work being done by others, will result in a comprehensive approach to labour and birth, that supports all families across Ontario. 

Click the image below to download the full paper.

Contact Us
For more information or to become involved with OPHA’s work in the area of informed decision-making for labour & birth, please contact: admin@opha.on.ca.


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