The court judgment that could change the treatment of Australian women giving birth

The Morning Edition · Apr 6, 2026 · 18m · transcript

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…