Ive attended women who werent sutured or who were sutured badly in the past and it chronically affected their confidence, sex life and comfort. One woman didnt have her left labia sutured (she didnt refuse it just wasnt deemed appropriate at the time) and she became very sore very easily as her labia was almost in two and she was too embarressed to seek help after.

I can envisage many situations where drugs and suturing are appropriate.

We cannot act without consent even in emergncy situations if the woman is compis mentis but is refusing. However with a PPH for eg she would soon become disorientated and at that point her partners consent would be sought.

With jehovah witnesses we have to have a form completed and consented before birth re blood products and transfusions so I would imagine if a woman came armed with a legal document stating her wishes and it said under no circumstances X then we would have to abide by that.

We always look at a womans birth plan and discuss her wishes with her when she arrives on del suite or when we attend a homebirth, so yes we would need to make ourselves aware of a womens wishes.

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