The Health Ministry seeks to reform and expand a pregnant woman's legal rights.

A bill that has taken two years to prepare seeks to expand a pregnant woman's rights to include the right to give birth at home, the right to refuse to use of oxytocin – often used in hospitals to speed-up the birthing procedure, the right to choose one's position while giving birth, and the right to spend time with one's newborn immediately after birth.

Most importantly, the Ministry seeks to make neonatology care and consultations with a  specialist immediately following a birth available under the State Health Fund (NFZ).

The Ministry is pushing to have the bill introduced as law as early as 2010. (mmj)

Source: Metro