Patient Rights Meeting in Saudi

Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

According to recent news articles, there was a meeting in Riyadh this week regarding patients' rights.  I would have loved to attend, but didn't hear of it until after it was over.  I'm impressed that this issue is being discussed in Saudi.

I wanted to make a few quick comments about what I dream of in regards to the laboring woman and her patient rights.  I'd also like to invite readers to comment and share their ideas as well.

I hope you enjoy reading this article.  As always, I'd love to hear your feedback and story ideas!

After hearing of patients' rights discussions in Saudi I began to think about what I would want to see included in such policies with regards to labor and birth.  Below are the first ten that come to mind:

1. The right to quality childbirth education (covered by government sponsorship and/or insurance).
2. The right for women to choose any hospital and birth attendant (covered by government or insurance).
3. The right to doula services (covered by government or insurance).
4. The right to have any two people attend her labor and birth with her (from start to finish, vaginal or cesarean).
5. The right to labor, deliver, and recover in the same room/bed.
6. The right to choose her labor and birth positions.
7. The right to informed consent with regards to any non-life threatening medical procedure.
8. The right to delayed cord clamping and immediate breastfeeding.
9. The right to have her birth companion cut the cord.
10. The right to keep her baby in her room the entire stay.

I'd like to hear from readers about your ideas in regards to patient rights for labor and birth.