Informed consent during obstetric emergencies is one of the most complex and high-stakes challenges in maternity care. Drawing on real-world scenarios and legal precedents, Dr Panicos Shangaris explores how clinicians can balance urgency with patient rights - and the medico-legal implications when consent is compromised.

About the Speaker

Dr Panicos Shangaris is a Consultant Obstetrician and Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist at King’s College Hospital, London. He has dual expertise in clinical practice and academia, focusing on high-risk pregnancies, congenital abnormalities, and intrapartum care. Dr Shangaris has delivered medico-legal education at the Royal Society of Medicine and regularly reports on complex birth injury cases.

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Key Medico-Legal Insights

• Consent must be informed, voluntary, capacity-based, and documented, even under time pressure.

• Montgomery v Lanarkshire (2015) remains the landmark case for patient-centred disclosure.

• Emergencies such as cord prolapse or fetal bradycardia demand rapid decisions but still require documented consent (even verbal).

• Advance discussions in antenatal care can prepare patients for urgent interventions.

• Emotional distress and fatigue may impair consent capacity - a crucial medico-legal consideration.

• Strong team communication and documentation reduce risk of future litigation.

Read the full medico-legal article here >