Risk and choice in maternity care: an international perspective

There is an apparent paradox at play in contemporary western societies with an increased sense of risk-consciousness set against a growing demand for choice. The aim of this book is to illustrate the changing reality of risk management in maternity care and to highlight some of the difficulties encountered in offering or exercising choice. "Risk and Choice in Maternity Care" considers whether risk and choice are always as oppositional as they are sometimes portrayed. Risk management within healthcare is a complex and evolving subject and has developed considerably in recent years. The chapters in this book are written from the perspectives of different countries, including the UK, Ireland, Australia and the USA, and offer contrasting views on the approach to best practice, providing evidence-based care and giving women the freedom to choose. The issues raised are assessed in a concluding chapter that challenges the reader to identify how risk and choice considerations may be applied in clinical practice