- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Natural Birth
sbevmc09
member
Doctor sends a pregnant woman an email saying he'll tell the police to bring her to the hospital
sbevmc09
member
Wow. 
What a clusterfluck.
This is a seemingly extreme situation, but IMO a woman has the right to decide where/when/how she'll give birth. End of story. I think it's sad that a doctor's word is being taken as the only viable option and that she doesn't have anywhere else to turn. Not to mention the whole tone of the article is off-putting.
What's your take?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Doctor sends a pregnant woman an email saying he'll tell the police to bring her to the hospital
Interesting thought...
Aren't there loopholes for situations in which the person held to the confidentiality feels that the person in question is in imminent danger?
I guess the 'imminent danger' thing would also roll back into, who was the OBs allegiance ultimately to, the baby or the mother? Because it doesn't sound like there was truly a question of the mother's well being, but there was for the baby's.
*My Blog*
10/50 Read
my read shelf:
The actual woman responded on the unnecesarean- seems like the whole emergency part was blown out of proportion (shocker):
https://www.facebook.com/theunnecesarean/
edited to fix link
yes, the mother contacted the newspaper. While I think the Dr absolutely overstepped the appropriate lines, I think he seems to have the baby's best interest at heart. After having 2 tests show the fetus in distress, when does your want for a vaginal birth no longer out weigh the health of your child?
It is absolutely the choice of the mother and no one can force her to allow them to cut her open. But, I kind of side eye her for being so adamant. At the very least, you'd think she would contact another care provider for a second opinion.
I think he went way too far threatening her but I think it's so very irresponsible to ignore more than one doctor telling you there could be a problem with fetal distress. I think some women are completely hung up on having the birth they want at all costs and I don't think that's right. At some point the health of the baby should be a factor in your decision as well as the fact you want a vaginal birth.
The woman even said she thinks this doctor is only concerned about her health and the health of the baby. I don't think the email was ok in any way but I just can't side with this woman if the information in the article is correct. I'm surprised that so many people seem to think ignoring multiple doctors is a good idea.
EDIT The doctor isn't some guy who just loves to do c-sections. He was recommended as a doctor who would preform a VBAC.
EDIT I guess I just don't feel there's enough information given. Maybe the risks aren't really that great but maybe they are. Other than the fact the doctor should not have send that email I don't think I can say for sure who is right.
Having said that, I am a little appalled by the mom as well. Its always her choice and I defend that right down to the ground, including her wish to VBAC after 4 cs, but the well being of my child is the 1 priority. If I were faced with the risks of VBAC, GD, two troubling scans indicating distress AND 1 week post dates with my entire, presumably trusted, team telling me that an emergecy CS was required....honey, cut me open and save my child!! I would not take that risk in pursuit of a fantasy birth experience. But that is just me; its not my choice and should not ever be.
This is pretty much how I feel. It's hard to say what I would do in the situation since I don't know all the ins and outs and details, but if it is what it seems like it is on the surface I probably would have made a different decision. Heck, I just had a very unexpected 2nd C/S due to DD flipping to breech at the last minute. BUT I do think it's a woman's decision to make and that's the important thing here. Not what other people think they would do or think she should have done.
I think this is a good example of women having limited access to care. This doctor was likely her best option for a VBA4C. I don't know of a lot of doctors who would take her on as a patient and when he decided he felt a C/S was the best course of action her options completely dried up. I didn't really have much choice but to move forward with a scheduled C/S for my breech baby. There are definitely limited options with childbirth and that's sad. There needs to be providers out there who will be supportive enough to give their opinion, but still allow the mother their choice. Whatever it is. I know that has added liability for them and their hands are often tied, but in a perfect world all women would have access to a fully supportive care provider
*My Blog*
10/50 Read
my read shelf:
The thought of police arresting a person for the purpose of a doctor forcing her to have surgery is abhorrent.
More Green For Less Green
On a side note- could someone hypothetically be arrested for child endangerment of a full term fetus? Could CPS be called and a valid case be opened??
Im just curious if that's even possible or if someone has tried before...
No, I was not being mean. Unfortunately, if the doctor did go to the police, it would not be unprecedented. And there's a good chance the state would side with the doctor.
No matter your stance on abortion, many of these "personhood" laws give states the authority to regulate what goes on in a woman's body in the name of fetal rights. If the fetus has rights, then the state has a compelling interest to protect it from harm.
On that note, it does not surprise me one bit that this happened in Florida.
I would side with the doctor too. He has made a promise when taking his profession to do everything he can to save patients, in this case the baby is at risk and I would trust what he says. Maybe threatening is way too much but he is right, having a VBA4C at 35 years it's not the best idea.
I know I will get flamed but at some point the baby's health should come way before what you would like your childbirth experience to be.
I will just pray for that baby to be born fine, either vaginally or by c-section, it would be a true tragedy if s/he will suffer just because mom wanted to deliver vaginally after the doctor told her not to do so.
The woman is 35, has had *4* c sections, developed gestational diabetes, was one week overdue, had a failing BPP ultrasound and the baby was transverse, not head down. I don't think Ina May Gaskin would recommend her for a VBA4C given her status.
So the doctor would be justified in calling the police and the courts on this woman?
It's not a question of whether we agree with her decision, but at what point do we take away her right to bodily autonomy?
I see a tremendous slippery slope here. Yes, the facts of this case sound pretty bad; I'll give you that. But would we want every pregnant woman who disagrees with her doctor to fear she'll have the cops at her door?
Should we also round up every woman who fails an NST in her 41st week and every woman who refuses to come in for an induction at 42 weeks? What about every high risk mom who wants a home birth? Or an unassisted birth?
I do sort of feel bad for the Dr though.
It is easy to villify OBs and depict them as controlling asshats but, this guy is a person too, and I bet its sickening for him to have to stand back and let this woman make what he feels to be a lifethreatening mistake based on HER ego. Drs do care about their patients. Doesnt make his threat justifiable or excusable...but his is a difficult position under the circumstances.
This becomes an ethically sticky point though when the mother is making a decision that endangers the child's health. The doctors forcing her to have a surgery that is low risk to her and high success for the baby, versus the mother choosing to gamble a her baby's life with a high risk delivery. I agree that surgery shouldn't be forced on someone, but when that choice involves an innocent potential victim, does a mother still get to claim "my body, my choice"? the doctor above all has an obligation to do no harm, and to protect the welfare of both his patients; the mother AND the child. And in this case, the doctor had to act as the voice of the child. You could potentially argue against fetal rights, but seeing how every state in this Nation outlaws full term abortion, the law is pretty clear that they have deemed a full term fetus to have the same right to life as a baby out of the womb. [eta for clarity, I'm not statin this is an abortion discussion, just referencing it in terms of fetal rights].
I don't see the threat of law enforcement as extraneous here, assuming the multiple medical opinions that the child is in danger are true. And seeing as how the mother is the one approaching the news and providing all tht information, I can only assume we're hearing the information that sheds her in the best light, and I'm still not convinced to feel for her. I'm also genuinely shocked she's even fighting something that potentially endangers her child. There's a time and a place for a VBAC... this is apparently neither.
BFP#1 10/1/2011. Our perfect little girl, Her heart stopped @ 12w1d. D&E 11/23/11
BFP#2 3/13/12 Weird CP/Possible EP @ 6w0d
BFP#3 5/28/12 CP @ 5w0d
BFP/WTF#4 10/26/12 CP
BFP#5 12/10/12 EDD 8/23/2013
I'm glad the baby is healthy although it's not because the mother held out so long. I think it was careless and selfish for her to ignore multiple doctors. She put her baby in danger and she is lucky that the outcome wasn't very different. Sometimes you are careless and you don't pay the price, sometimes you do. She got lucky. The doctor was right in telling her she needed a c-section, He wasn't some big mean bully trying to make money off her. threatening her was going too far but she did admit she knows he was only looking out for her and her baby.
I'm glad the baby is healthy although it's not because the mother held out so long. I think it was careless and selfish for her to ignore multiple doctors. She put her baby in danger and she is lucky that the outcome wasn't very different. Sometimes you are careless and you don't pay the price, sometimes you do. She got lucky. The doctor was right in telling her she needed a c-section, He wasn't some big mean bully trying to make money off her. threatening her was going too far but she did admit she knows he was only looking out for her and her baby.
EDIT I think it's a really difficult situation but mothers like this aren't a good example of women fighting for the right to have choice over their birth decisions.