Part four: Health professions

Once she has agreed to respond to a request, the midwife undertakes to personally provide the care required by the patient and the new-born child, in accordance with current scientific data, with the utmost conscientiousness and devotion. Except in cases of force majeure, in particular in the absence of a doctor or to deal with an urgent danger, the midwife must call in a doctor when the care to be…

The midwife must always make her diagnosis with the utmost care, devoting the necessary time to it, using the most appropriate methods wherever possible and, if necessary, enlisting the help of the most enlightened experts.

The midwife must provide care with a correct and attentive attitude towards the patient, and respect and ensure respect for the patient’s dignity.

Except in emergencies and provided she is not failing in her duty of humanity or her obligation to assist, a midwife has the right to refuse care for professional or personal reasons. The midwife may withdraw from her duties, provided that she does not thereby harm her patient or the child, that she ensures that the latter will be cared for and that she provides the relevant information to that…

In the event of public danger, a midwife may not abandon her patients or newborn babies, unless formally ordered to do so by a qualified authority in accordance with the law.

Subject to the provisions of article L. 1111-5, a midwife called upon to provide care to a minor or an adult subject to a legal protection measure with representation of the person who is not capable of expressing her wishes must endeavour to inform the parents, the legal representative or the person in charge of the measure and to obtain their consent or authorisation. The person in charge of the…

Subject to the provisions of article L. 1111-7 and for legitimate reasons which the midwife assesses according to her conscience, a patient may be kept in ignorance of a serious diagnosis or prognosis concerning her. A fatal prognosis should only be revealed to the patient with the greatest circumspection, but the family should generally be informed, unless the patient has previously forbidden any disclosure of her state of health or…