This Friday, women’s rights are being highlighted. Wherever it is a privilege to celebrate them, and everywhere they still need defending, associations, celebrities, and brands join together to defend and support the cause. Thus, Élhée has once again chosen to spread this unique energy through a delicate topic: respect for women’s rights, their bodies, and their experiences of childbirth. Because honoring women’s rights starts by respecting their integrity, wishes, and consent—including in motherhood—here is an article to set things straight.
SUMMARY:
- The fundamental rights of women and pregnant women
- The female body: a sacred territory
- For a respectful and positive birth: preparing and experiencing your birth plan
The fundamental rights of women and pregnant women
The right to clear and appropriate information and the right to free and informed consent complement French legal documents such as the Charter of the Hospitalized Person and the Public Health Code to ensure peace of mind for expectant mothers in the delivery room. Thanks to these, you specifically have the power to decide:
- on the medical professional who follows your pregnancy (gynecologist, obstetrician, midwife, or general practitioner, in a private practice, clinic, or hospital),
- on your place of delivery (maternity hospital, clinic, birthing center, hospital technical platform, or at home),
- on your birthing position: you have the right to refuse the lithotomy position in favor of a more physiological one, to move around during labor,
- to accept or refuse certain procedures during the birth of your child (vaginal exams, epidural placement, induction, presence of interns or students, episiotomy, etc.),
- on the best time to leave the hospital (if needed, by signing a release form)…
In a low-risk pregnancy and delivery—and even in emergencies—because you are the one giving birth and no one else, the utmost must always be done to respect your wishes. When birth goes according to your choices, you become fully empowered over your own body, your decisions, and your creative power. A unique and feminine vision of birth that instills confidence and can impact your life and journey as a parent.
A survey conducted in 2022 by the Réseau Sécurité Naissance Pays de la Loire showed that, of 311 women who had deliveries assisted by instruments (forceps, spatula, vacuum), 48.1% were not notified in advance. Similarly, of 247 episiotomies performed, 153 women reported they had not been consulted. Lastly, among 523 women whose labor was induced, 507 (97.1%) stated they received information about the reasons and methods used: 438 (86.3%) found this sufficient, 55 (10.8%) incomplete, and 14 (2.8%) did not fully understand the information.
The female body: a sacred territory
Respect for the female body is a fundamental principle of equality and human dignity. It means recognizing the autonomy of women over the choices and decisions regarding their own bodies, including during pregnancy and childbirth, and when they wish to terminate a pregnancy or choose not to have children.
The female body carries desires and aspirations—it also bears life. In this, it is sacred. And because, from the youngest age, it is subjected to various pressures of image and behavior, nothing is more important than to remind women of its beauty, gentleness, greatness, and sovereignty, at every moment.
Corporeal sovereignty, a concept to champion
Behind corporeal sovereignty lies the principle that each individual has ownership of their own person and physical integrity, which they alone control. This individual sovereignty notably includes the right to consent to or refuse any medical treatment, to choose one’s contraception, and to experience one’s sexuality freely.
Although women’s consent is regularly invoked in French media, it is essential to apply this as well during motherhood.
However, the rights of women and pregnant women are not always guaranteed, even in France. Because many obstacles still exist, International Women’s Rights Day remains so important.
- “Medical paternalism” still leads too many healthcare professionals to decide that the wishes or choices of a patient need not be respected.
- Lack of knowledge of their rights by women, due to being poorly or incorrectly informed, is another significant barrier.
- Family and social pressures to live, behave, give birth in a certain way, or make choices contrary to one’s desires, represent yet another impediment.
No one is better suited than the woman herself to make the right decisions for her life and health. Once you are informed, take the time to think and express yourself. Don’t let anyone influence or impose choices or procedures on you that do not suit you, that cause you pain, or make you uncomfortable. Assert your own, or turn to someone else instead.
For a respectful and positive birth: preparing and experiencing your birth plan
At the heart of the unique (extra)ordinary journey to motherhood, you, the leading woman and guardian of your body, your inner strength, and your wisdom, guide your choices for a respectful and positive birth for your baby.
Knowing your rights, expressing your wishes, and surrounding yourself with a supportive team are the keys to a positive experience. Preparing and visualizing your birth help you feel more empowered in your birth and more confident to welcome your child into a calm, respectful environment.
Childbirth should never be a trial to endure, but a miracle to celebrate. Reconnecting to your maternal instinct and the power of your body allows every woman to fully experience this event—a source of immense joy and deep fulfillment.
Moreover, there are alternatives available for a birth experience that fits you: at home, in a birthing center, in a maternity ward led by a midwife, accompanied by a doula, with your partner present, minimally medicalized, in water, with movement… The key is to benefit from a conscious and respectful birth experience that honors your choices.
The birth plan
A bit like a roadmap addressed to everyone—medical staff or not—who will be present on the day of your delivery, the birth plan is a document that outlines your preferences regarding the hospital environment, medical care, and the care given to your newborn immediately after birth.
From your medical history to emergency contact information, your preferences for support during labor, options for anesthesia or induction, and your wish to breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby—everything is summarized and ready to be implemented.
In short, the birth plan is there to communicate, anticipate, and prepare for the unexpected, to provide directives and make decisions you may not be able to communicate or make on the big day. Of course, you can create a birth plan whether you expect a vaginal birth, a C-section, or a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).
Information, preparation, and self-confidence are the pillars of a positive birth. Imagining, drafting, and living your birth plan is a way for every woman to express her wishes, set her boundaries, uphold her rights and choices, and fully invest in her maternal potential.
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