Birth plan: a tool for women empowerment during the nursing care

Abstract

Aim: to reflect upon the importance of the birth plan in nursing care, aiming at women’s autonomy. Method: This is a reflective text about the use of the Birth Plan during nursing care and also about women empowerment. Results: The birth plan centralizes women's right to information and to her decision-making, which makes her the protagonist of her own childbirth. Thus, it provides respect to the bioethical principle of autonomy and to women's decisions, contributing to their empowerment in the process of getting pregnant and giving birth. Final considerations: In this study, the importance of using the birth plan by the nursing staff as an instrument of women's empowerment is evidenced. The birth plan is a tool that should be used, aiming at the quality assurance of a harmless and humanized nursing care for women