Patient Perceptions of Informed Consent for Operative Vaginal Birth: A Qualitative Analysis

The three key themes identified in the study suggest that patients are satisfied with their birth experience following an OVB, despite significant limitations in informed consent. Findings suggest that patients are accepting a substandard consent process, and that renewed attention should be paid to improving information sharing, even during relatively urgent care encounters. Even though patients expressed satisfaction with the consent process, the adequacy of informed consent is not determined by patient satisfaction. Improving information sharing during urgent care encounters could improve the quality of informed consent for patients undergoing operative vaginal delivery.