Jehovah's Witness who died after giving birth understood risk of refusing blood, Quebec health minister says

QuebecHealth MinisterGatan Barrettesays he has proof a 26-year-old Jehovah's Witness woman who died after giving birth at a hospital near Quebec City understood the risks of refusing a blood transfusion, butinsisted one not be performed.

lose Dupuis died of a hemorrhage on Oct. 12 at Htel-Dieu de Lvis Hospital aftergiving birth by caesarean section.

Her son survived the birth.

• Death of Jehovah's Witness during childbirth prompts investigation

Barrette said he has "documentation" that shows the patient was "perfectly informed" about the procedure and the risks of refusing blood transfusions, whichthe Jehovah's Witness faith forbids.

"She was informed, she signed documents many times. She knew, and she made it clear, that if something was to happen, because of her religion she didn't want any transfusion," Barrette told CBC Montreal's Daybreak.

Coroner investigating, aunt goes to police

Quebec coroner Luc Malouin is investigating the circumstances around her death and will determine if Dupuis'srefusal to have a blood transfusion met medical and legal standards.

On Wednesday, Dupuis's aunt lodged a complaint with the Lvis police and calledonthem to investigateher niece's death, saying she was not in a position to provide "informed consent" on the issue of a blood transfusion.

Manon Boyer is not a Jehovah's Witness and alleged in an interview with Radio-Canadathat Dupuis's death amounts to an "honour killing."

She alleges Dupuis was pressured into refusing consent for a blood transfusion by the Jehovah's Witnesshospital liaison committee, which she said was present in the woman's room.

The committee, made up of Jehovah's Witness elders, works with families and physicians to ensure the faith's medical care doctrines are respected.

Boyer said Dupuis's immediate family preventedanyone who wasn't a Jehovah's Witnessfrom contacting her, andwants the law changed to address such situations, saying she thinks a change couldprevent other deaths.

CBCMontreal contacted the Jehovah's Witness congregation inLvisand is awaiting a response.

Patient must be free from'undue influence'

Barrette said there's no way to preventgroups like the Jehovah's Witnesses hospital liaison committee from visiting a patient.

However, he said it is important that a patient be alone with their doctor when consent is given or refused.

"She can have a private conversation with her doctor and the decision is made independently," he said.

He said the evidence points to that being the case with Dupuis.

In an interview with CBC Montreal's Daybreak,Jean-Pierre Mnard, a lawyer specializing in patients' rights, explained that "free consent" is a fundamental legal standardthat has to be met in cases where treatmentis refused.

"The patient must be free from undue influence," he said.