Informed consent process before caesarean section: A study of patients’ perspective regarding adequacy of consent process

Abstract

Background: Surgical informed consent is defined as a process of communication between a patient undergoing surgery and the physician performing the procedure, resulting in the patient's agreement to undergo surgical procedure. This study aimed to assess patients' perception towards surgical informed consent in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Surgical Procedures at Benghazi Medical Center. Methods: Across-sectional study of all adult surgical patients who signed informed consent and underwent surgery from June to August 2023. Results: Out of a total of 285 questionnaires distributed to eligible patients, 178 usable questionnaires were returned fully completed. Approximately half of the respondents (50.6%) were between 31 and 40 years of age, while more than one third (36%) were younger than 30 years. Of the 178 women surveyed, 47.2% underwent emergency surgeries while 52.8% had elective surgeries. Only 10 (5.6%) of patients actually signed the consent forms themselves. In the remaining cases, consent was signed either by the family members. The majority of respondents (88.8%, n=158) thought that signing the consent form was a legal requirement prior to undergoing surgery. The majority of patients (82%) indicated full agreement with the form’s contents. Over three quarters of patients (79.3%) reported signing the form primarily to proceed with their surgery and 76.4% considered the act of signing to be an important. Conclusion: This study highlights the insufficient understanding of informed consent among gynecological patients therefore practical recommendations involve enhancing preoperative information, verifying voluntariness, and including the patient in the signing decision.