Beyond autonomy: Care ethics for midwifery and the humanization of birth

The bioethical principle of respect for a person’s bodily autonomy is central to biomedical and healthcare ethics. In this article, we argue that this concept of autonomy is often annulled in the maternity field, due to the maternal two-in-one body (and the obstetric focus on the foetus over the wom...

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Autori: Newnham, Elizabeth (Autore) ; Kirkham, Mavis (Autore)
Tipo di documento: Elettronico Articolo
Lingua:Inglese
Verificare la disponibilità: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Pubblicazione: 2019
In: Nursing ethics
Anno: 2019, Volume: 26, Fascicolo: 7/8, Pagine: 2147-2157
Altre parole chiave:B Informed Consent
B philosophical perspectives / theory
B Midwifery
B Bioethics
B ethical climate of organizations / moral
B care ethics / ethics of care
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Riepilogo:The bioethical principle of respect for a person’s bodily autonomy is central to biomedical and healthcare ethics. In this article, we argue that this concept of autonomy is often annulled in the maternity field, due to the maternal two-in-one body (and the obstetric focus on the foetus over the woman) and the history of medical paternalism in Western medicine and obstetrics. The principle of respect for autonomy has therefore become largely rhetorical, yet can hide all manner of unethical practice. We propose that large institutions that prioritize a midwife–institution relationship over a midwife–woman relationship are in themselves unethical and inimical to the midwifery philosophy of care. We suggest that a focus on care ethics has the potential to remedy these problems, by making power relationships visible and by prioritizing the relationship above abstract ethical principles.
ISSN:1477-0989
Comprende:Enthalten in: Nursing ethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0969733018819119