What happens when something doesn’t feel right during labor or birth, but you don’t know what to do, who to call, or even what to name it?

In this eye-opening episode of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh is joined by Dr. Jennifer Dunatov, a healthcare ethicist with nearly 20 years of experience working inside hospital systems. Together, they unpack what ethics really looks like in labor and delivery and why it’s a vastly underutilized (but incredibly important) resource for birthing people, families, doulas, and clinicians.

Dr. Dunatov shares how becoming a mother herself transformed her work, leading her to focus on birth ethics after hearing countless stories of consent violations, loss of autonomy, and traumatic care. She explains what clinical ethicists actually do, how ethics consults work in real time, and how they can help amplify patient voices even when something has already gone wrong.

This episode is essential listening for anyone who has experienced birth trauma, is preparing to give birth, or works in maternity care.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What healthcare ethics actually is (and why it’s not boring 😉)
• How ethics shows up in labor & delivery and why it’s often invisible
• Common ethical violations in birth, including lack of consent and shared decision-making
• The difference between ethics consults and patient advocacy services
• Whether ethics can be involved after a traumatic or harmful birth experience
• How fear of liability influences provider decision-making
• Why documentation in medical charts matters more than you think
• How ethics consults can lead to accountability and systemic change not just “checking a box”
• Who can request an ethics consult (hint: anyone)
• Exactly what to say if you want to request an ethics consult in the hospital
• Why you don’t need the “right language” to advocate for yourself, your gut is enough

Key takeaway:

If something doesn’t feel right during your care, you are allowed to say so and there are people inside the system whose job is to listen, name the issue, and advocate with you.

Resources & Guest Info:

Dr. Jennifer Dunatov
Healthcare Ethicist | Birth Ethics Advocate

• Instagram: @notraumamama (transitioning to @jenniferdunatov)
• Website: jenniferdunatov.com or notraumamama.com

If this episode resonated with you:

Please consider sharing it with a friend, doula, provider, or loved one. Visibility saves people and knowledge is power.

For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.

Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.

Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.