A woman was left with "trauma" and "nightmares" after a midwife performed a 'stretch and sweep' procedure during labour - despite not having consent.
The woman went into labour in 2020 with her first child - several days before she was due.
While progressing through labour, the midwife informed the woman she would check how dilated she was.
The woman described the check as a "painful procedure".
When finished, the midwife revealed that she had done a "stretch and sweep, so that should ramp up contractions".
The stretch and sweep was performed without the woman's knowledge or consent.
A 'stretch and sweep' is a way of starting contractions by gently moving the membranes around the baby from the uterus wall.
The woman's birth plan outlined that "she would like to try natural methods before using drugs to induce labour".
She didn't tick the box for 'sweeping of the membranes', adding in the written section she "really, really would prefer [it] not to be included".
The woman's birth plan "expressly outlined" that she didn't want any intervention in her birth unless "absolutely necessary".
"This was a physical assault on my body, the most intimate part of my body and in one of the most vulnerable experiences of a person's life," the woman said in a statement to the Health and Disability Commissioner.
"It was done unnecessarily and without my knowledge or consent and was treated more as a 'routine' part of labour that my midwife could use [at] any time due to her position of knowledge and power."
The woman says she experiences "nightmares and trauma symptoms" following the incident.
She made a complaint to the Health and Disability Commissioner, who attempted to get a response from the midwife but was met with hostility.
She chose not to comment on the incident, saying she was no longer a practising midwife while using "offensive language" when talking to investigators.
The midwife has been found to have breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights.
"Relevant standards for midwifery practice outline the competency required of a midwife to work in partnership with the woman/wahine/birthing person, including respecting their needs to be self-determining in promoting their health and wellbeing."
"A 'stretch and sweep' is considered an invasive procedure that requires discussion with the woman/birthing person and their consent to it," Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Rose Wall said in her decision.
Wall was also "critical of her failure to engage with the process and to provide resolution and closure of the concerns for the woman".
She recommended the midwife provide a written apology to the woman. Wall also suggested she return to practising and undertake informed consent and complaint management training.
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