----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, May 15, 2005 12:01 PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Dramatic
women
Mary,
I have read Gloria's remark in the past and I
must say that I do not agree. My observation is purely anecdotal and not
at all scientific, but from what I have observed, women end up with a high
rate of intervention because they are told they need it.
When I was younger and poorer and myself and my
friends did not have private health insurance, we went to the public hospital
to have our babies. We went through the midwives clinic and most of us
had straightforward births. Very few c-secs, epidurals and
dramas.
I now have a uni degree and a job that goes along
with it. My colleagues have private health insurance and nearly every
one of them - several women at my work have had babies in the last two years -
has had a c-sec. The *one* who had a vaginal birth had a long labour
with epidural and instrumental delivery, lots of stitches, a full term baby
who ended up in NICU for a week due to epidural fever which *could have* meant
an infection, prophylactic abx, breastfeeding issues, etc. This woman is
so traumatised by her experience that she insists she will never have another
baby unless it is by c-sec. Those that DID have c-secs had them because
they were told they were necessary. Every one of those women planned a
"natural" birth and enrolled in birth classes with this in mind.
The reasons they were given for *needing* a
c-sec? One was 7 days past EDD ("very dangerous" said Dr) so she was
sectioned - not even induced! One was told that her baby was way too big
to be born vaginally - bubs turned out to be the same size as the woman's
first baby! Another was a failed induction, she was 7 days past EDD
and was told this is "very dangerous". Her doctor also told her he had
never, in his decades of practice, seen an induction that didn't work.
Another was diagnosed with GD and told baby was too big and due to the GD the
birth could be complicated. Another had pre-eclampsia and the babies
(twins) were delivered via c-sec at 28 weeks (she was told vaginal birth is
too risky for premmies). Another was told she had to have a c-sec
because she was "high-risk" due to an incident of spotting in her tenth week
of pregnancy and the RSI in her wrists. Another was sectioned because
the baby would be too big - bubs was 5lb 11oz.
Incidentally, all but two of these women were in
their 20s when they had their babies. Also, most of them were told after
the sugery that it was a good thing the c-sec had been done because the baby
was facing the wrong way and had the cord around its neck so it could not have
been born vaginally (or would have been stillborn).
There are three women currently pregnant at my work, including
myself. The other two are seeing private OBs and planning "natural"
births in the private hospital. One has already been told that she may
have problems as she had such severe morning sickness it could mean something
is wrong. The other is due around the same time as me (October) and told
me recently that she believes a doctor's advice NOT to read or research during
pregnancy is a good thing. We talked about prenatal testing and she
feels that it is important to have all the tests (becuase her doctor siad
to) and that she will trust him to act appropriately on the
results. She will not do any research into any of this herself but trust
him to do his job.
In my last pregnancy (my daughter is 21 months old) I had the scans and
tests I was told to have (until I changed my caregiver halfway through the
pregnancy). Early bloods revealed high AFP levels which meant my baby
*could* have a neural tube defect. The 18 week scan revealed my baby's
kidneys *may* be a bit on the small side which *could* mean a problem.
Also I had a low-lying placenta which *could* mean dramas at the birth.
Turned out bubs was normal, her kidneys are fine and the placenta was closer
to my ribs than my cervix by the time I was full term. But what an
emotional roller coaster! When I told my doctor halfway through the
pregnancy that I was changing my care option and planning a homebirth she
lectured me on pain relief; how would I possibly cope if there were none
availble?? According to her I wouldn't be able to relax without pain
relief and the labour could be complicated.
I do see and hear women being overly dramatic
about their pregnancies and births... but because they were led to believe -
by their care providers - that it was a dangerous situation! I have been
told over and over again that the doctor said if the c-sec hadn't been done
the baby, and possibly the mother, would have died. I think these women
all think I am some sort of freak of nature as I have had three
striaghtforward - in fact beautiful! - vaginal births, the last a planned
homebirth. Nary a complication or obstetrician in sight at any of my
births.
I have read, on this list, of a midwife who tells
her patients that if she doesn't hop up on the bed for examinations and
delivery the baby will die. So how many women have been traumatised by
this midwife? We have people like David Molloy spreading the word,
through the media, that a woman attempting a vaginal birth after 2 c-secs has
a 5-20% chance of uterine rupture! Who is being dramatic?! I read
an article in the Australian this year in which this obstetrician talked about
evolution and nature being a "bitch" and how intervention is necessary to save
women from being phased out of the human race due to inadequate pelvi.
According to this doctor, birth is very dangerous. He speaks on behalf
of the AMA, and I think most people would take what he says to be
accurate. Is it any wonder that women believe they would have died and
their baby would have died if not for the doctor's life saving
skill!
Another friend recently had her second
miscarriage in a year. She has a healthy four year old who was conceived
and carried to term without difficulty. When my friend had her second
miscarriage her Gyn insisted she and her husband may have some sort of genetic
abnormality and may have to rely on IVF or adoption if they want another
child. He has sent the couple for genetic testing at a cost of thousands
of dollars. He has not mentioned her general health (she is very
overweight with high blood pressure and the start of diabetes) but has gone
straight to the high-tech "solution" to their problem. While I do not
deny that two pregnancy losses would be devastating, it seems a bit dramatic
to be discussing genetic abnormalities when the couple have had a healthy
child. This couple was told that this was the appropriate way to go and
they have not questioned the doctor's advice. Is it any wonder these two
talk - rather dramatically - about their possble chromosome
issues?
I realise the above is anecdotal but it is a
pattern I notice consistently and while I DO hear women talking about how
dramatic their births were and how it was life and death, it is because they
were told that by someone they trusted as an "expert".
Rachele
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