Informed consent: client participation in childbirth decisions.

In recent years, there has been a tremendous rise in public consciousness concerning patients' rights. Previously, patients relied upon the expertise of health-care providers, but now it is more common for patients to seek active involvement in the decision-making process affecting their care. The patient's right to self-determination is central to the decision-making process between the client and the provider. A patient's right to autonomy, therefore, imposes an obligation upon the health-care provider to obtain informed consent from the obstetric client.