Reports in the Jamaica Observer some time ago have once again placed maternity care under public scrutiny — from the tragic death of a newborn at Cornwall Regional Hospital to accounts of a difficult start to parenthood involving neonatal intensive care admission. These stories are not just headlines. They reflect deeply personal experiences where families are often left trying to piece together what happened, why it happened, and whether anything could have been done differently.

In many of these situations, a recurring issue emerges, patients feel that something went wrong and the hospital claims that all went according to acceptable practices. There is an obvious disconnect between what patients and families recall and what is recorded in the hospital’s official notes. In medico-legal practice, this gap can determine the outcome of an entire case. Quite simply, what is documented often carries more weight than what is remembered.

For that reason, patients — particularly those navigating labour and delivery — must begin to see themselves not as passive recipients of care but as active participants in the process. Documentation is not about distrust. It is about clarity, accountability, and ultimately, protection.