Centre d'information

Regardless of the persons you consult

YOU ARE ENTITLED TO CLEAR AND complete information.

TO FIND OUT MORE:

ASSOCIATION POUR LA SANTÉ PUBLIQUE DU QUÉBEC

(514) 528-5811/www.aspq.org

MIDWIVES

Regroupement les sages-femmes du Québec

( 514 ) 738-8090 / www.rsfq.org

Ordre des sages-femmes du Québec

(514) 286-1313/www.osfq.org

PHYSICIANS

Association des omnipraticiens en périnatalité du Québec

www.aopq.org

Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Quebec

www.gynecoquebec.com

Collège des médecins du Québec

(514) 933-4441/1-888-MEDECIN/www.cmq.org

BABY FRIENDLY HOSPITAL INITIATIVE

http://breastfeedingcanada.ca

HEALTH CARE AND INFORMATION

Association québécoise des établissements de santé et de services sociaux
www.aqesss.qc.ca

Info-Santé

8-1-1

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

Réseau des centres de ressources périnatales

(418) 704-2562/www.reseaudescrp.org

Regroupement Naissance-Renaissance

(514) 392-0308/www.naissance-renaissance.qc.ca

Serena

1- 866-273-7362 / www.serena.ca

Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances

(514) 866-3721/www.fqpn.qc.ca

The purpose of this brochure is to prepare you to go through your pregnancy and delivery as you wish and to inform you of your rights in this regard. It contains information that will help you identify topics that you can discuss with your doctor or mid- wife. The brochure is in line with the Law on Health and Social Services of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) and the Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.

If you feel your rights are not being respected you can file a complaint with the Commissioner for Complaints of the hospital or birthing centre in question. You can also turn to the following bodies concerned with rights advocacy:

Centre d’assistance et d’accompagnement aux plaintes (CAAP) of your area;

Regroupement Naissance-Renaissance (RNR).

We would like to extend a special thanks to the persons who helped update this brochure.

Seventh edition – June 2021 (First edition, 1989 ). You can order the brochure at info@aspq.org

ASPQ ©

Women’s

RIGHTS

PREGNANCY AND DELIVERY

Since the beginning of time, pregnancy, delivery and childbirth have constituted normal and natu- ral events. However, it is a period of life when you are called upon to make a number of decisions concerning the treatment and care you receive. These decisions are rightfully yours to make.

The events surrounding childbirth deserve to be experienced in peace and harmony and you are entitled to obtain the appropriate support (e.g., information, accompani- ment, care) to help you make informed decisions.

AT ALL TIMES

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to access all of
your records.

During pregnancy

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT...
To be informed to your satisfaction about your

pregnancy, labour and delivery, and breastfee- ding.

To choose the professional who will follow you during pregnancy, whether a physician or a midwife, and to have the possibility of changing professional at any time during pregnancy.

To be informed of the different childbirth settings possible (hospitals, birthing centres, home) and their characteristics (routines, rules and regula- tions, rates and types of intervention), and to visit them.

To be informed of the limits and side-effects of medication and interventions proposed.

To refuse the medication and treatments pro- posed to you.

To obtain from your professional information about alternatives to the medication and interven- tions proposed.

To be informed about the possibility of a vaginal birth if you previously had a cesarean delivery (VBAC).

To seek, if needed, the opinion of a second pro- fessional if something is bothering you.

During labour and delivery

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT... To go through labour and the birth of your child at

your pace and without any unwanted interventions.

To be accompanied by the persons of your choice during labour and delivery.

To refuse to be examined by students.

To be informed of the reasons for any intervention (e.g., induction, stimulation, forceps, episiotomy, epidural, sedative, continuous monitoring, IV drip) and its effects on you and your child, and to refuse interventions you deem unnecessary.

To eat and drink at all times.

To push and deliver in the position that suits you best.

To limit the number of persons present during the birth of your child (relatives and service providers).

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT... To know the medical reasons necessitating such

an intervention and the possible alternatives to it.

To be informed about the different types of anaesthesia available and to choose the one that suits you.

To be accompanied by your spouse or any other person of your choice at all times.

After childbirth

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT...

To have skin-on-skin contact with your baby immediately at birth and to hold him or her in your arms for as long as you wish.

To cohabit with your child at all times regardless of the number of occupants in your room.

To know the reasons for tests and interventions proposed for your child, to refuse them or to put them off to a later time (e.g., eye drops, vitamin K injection, blood tests).

To ask that arrangements be made to allow the significant other of your choice to remain with you day and night.

To breastfeed your baby upon request and to request that he or she be given no supplements (water, artificial milk).

To have access to an appropriate resource person to help you breastfeed your baby.

To request not to be bothered, for reasons of rest or privacy, by the routines of the health establishment.

To refuse proposed medication if you deem it unnecessary.

To leave the health establishment as soon as you wish, even if a professional has not signed a discharge.

If your child must be hospitalized, to benefit from all possible measures to allow you to stay nearby him or her at all times (minimum conditions during your stay and possibility to keep breastfeeding).

If you are told you need a caesarean section