Making choices during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum can feel overwhelming, but having the right tools can help. One of our favorite frameworks for informed decision-making in pregnancy is the B.R.A.I.N acronym. It’s simple, effective, and helps you pause, ask the right questions, and feel more confident in your care decisions.

What Is the B.R.A.I.N. Tool?

B.R.A.I.N is a five-part acronym designed to guide thoughtful decision-making in healthcare, especially during pregnancy and childbirth. It supports true informed consent, helping you understand the pros, cons, and possible alternatives before making a choice.

Here’s what it stands for:

• B – Benefits:What are the benefits of this option or procedure?
• R – Risks:What are the risks or potential downsides?
• A – Alternatives:Are there other options available?
• I – Intuition:What is your gut telling you?
• N – Nothing:What happens if we do nothing right now?

This approach encourages collaborative conversations with your provider and gives you a structured way to slow things down and gather the information you need.

• If you’d like to learn about R.A.I.N in more detail, check out this blog about fitting B.R.A.I.N into your birth plan.
• If you’d like to dive into some examples of phrasing when using B.R.A.I.N in a healthcare setting, here is a great resource.

When to Use It

The B.R.A.I.N tool can be used at any point in your care: from early prenatal visits to labor, postpartum, and even in pediatric appointments.

Examples include:

• Deciding whether to schedule an induction
• Considering an epidural or other intervention during labor
• Evaluating options for prenatal testing or vaccines
• Responding to unexpected changes in your birth plan

Using B.R.A.I.N for decision-making in pregnancy helps keep the focus on your preferences, not just protocols or pressure.

Why It Matters

Informed consent isn’t just about saying yes or no—it’s about having access to the full picture. When you understand your options and feel supported in your decision, you’re more likely to feel empowered, respected, and at peace with your choices. That’s especially important in labor and birth, where outcomes are influenced not just by clinical decisions, but by the emotional and psychological environment as well.

At Worcester Community Midwifery, we’re building Worcester’s first independent birth center—a space where informed decision-making and personalized care are the foundation. If you believe families deserve thoughtful, respectful support during pregnancy and birth, we invite you to follow along or support the development of this vital community resource.