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	Podcast:		Please Explain
	Episode:		The court judgment that could change the treatment of Australian women giving birth
	Category:		News & Politics
	Duration:		00:18:13
	Publish Date:		2026-04-06 19:00:00
	Description:		There was a significant judgment in a Victorian court last week, one that is causing a great deal of controversy in the medical community. The case centres on what happened when a woman presented to a regional hospital to give birth.The woman, Larissa Gawthrop, was in labour – but the hospital refused to admit her until she’d undergone a vaginal examination. For the hospital, this test is routine, but Gawthrop had been really clear in her birth plan – she’d only consent to an examination if there was an urgent medical reason. What happened next, according to the court decision, was tantamount to assault, and the judge awarded Gawthrop $275,000 in damages. Today, senior writer Wendy Tuohy discusses the landmark case and its implications for the medical community. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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