Speakers
Keynote speakers are Elizabeth Prochaska, human rights lawyer from Matrix Chambers in London and Dr John Seymour, Adjunct Professor of Law at the Australian National University. Writer and social commentator Catherine Deveny, who is MC at the conference says that "there is a crisis in Australian birthing. It is a medical, legal and ethical one. Women are being bullied, manipulated and lied to about their birthing options. It's time for a rigorous discussion about the whole system. This is it."
Panels
Panel discussions with lawyers, midwives, doctors, ethicists and consumers. Panel 1- Regulation and Rights – Protection of the public and protecting women’s rights A discussion about the role of regulation in supporting and restricting women’s choices and the role of regulation in protecting the public and the unborn baby. Panel 2 - Birthing with Risk Factors - VBAC, Twins, Breech - discussion on whether women with risk factors are able to make genuine choices and informed decisions across all settings - hospital, birth centre and home.
Issues
Who decides how and where a baby is born? Who bears the risks of childbirth? What role do midwives and doctors have in protecting the unborn baby? What legal rights do women have to choose how they give birth?
