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The court judgment that could change the treatment of Australian women giving birth
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There was a significant judgment in a Victorian court last week, one that is causing a great deal of controversy in the medical community.
The case centres on what happened when a woman presented to a regional hospital to give birth.The woman, Larissa Gawthrop, was in labour – but the hospital refused to admit her until she’d undergone a vaginal examination. For the hospital, this test is routine, but Gawthrop had been really clear in her birth plan – she’d only consent to an examination if there was an urgent medical reason.
What happened next, according to the court decision, was tantamount to assault, and the judge awarded Gawthrop $275,000 in damages.
Today, senior writer Wendy Tuohy discusses the landmark case and its implications for the medical community.
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