mother dies after refusing blood transfusion

World UK

Published

A very sad story from England.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/7078455.stm

A young mother has died after giving birth to twins, following claims that she had refused a blood transfusion because of her faith.

Jehovah's Witness Emma Gough, 22, from Telford, Shropshire, gave birth on 25 October.

Specializes in SICU.

I am a senior nursing student, a mother of a 6 month old, and a JW. My heart aches for the family, and to anyone who has ever lost a loved one. I know this may be difficult to understand to those who do not hold this belief, and I thank you for trying to understand and your patience. However, it is not uncommon at all for people in our society to feel so strongly about what they believe is right that they are willing to uphold those beliefs at great cost. For example, thousands each year go to the military to support a cause that they feel is worthy enough that they may have to risk their life. Please continue to respect a patient's autonomy and speak with any JW's that you know to get a better view of why we hold this view. Thank you, and please know this family is in my prayers and my heart hurts for her little ones.

Specializes in Telemetry/Cardiac Floor.
i'm sorry but there is something about just letting a patient that you very well might have saved die that makes me sick...i know all about "it's her right" stuff. well why did she even come to the hospital, why not just have the baby at home then in some cornfeild. a patient comes to the hospital and wants our help, but then when her life is on the line she refuses....i'm sorry i'm in the buissness of trying to save life,sight or limb. thank god my name is not on her record, cause it just makes me sick.

Can you guarantee she would have lived with the blood transfusion?

Can you guarantee she would have lived with the blood transfusion?

That was my whole point, there was no guarantee that she would have survived if she received blood. The mother in law in the article said the this young woman would not have survived even if she received blood. This is indeed a tragedy but it did not happen because she didn't receive blood, she died because there was complications (accident, injury??) sustained during childbirth.

As a student nurse and one of JW's, I am aware that some do not agree with people choosing to abstain from blood but you don't have to agree with it in order to respect someone's wishes.

Specializes in Geriatrics/Family Practice.

I try to respect peoples beliefs, but this one I think if the law allows I would of tried to get a temporary something from a judge to allow all measures to save this mother. How selfish to not except help and leave two children without a mother because of this belief. I know I'll get all types of negative responses, but I don't know that I could of just let religion run the show in this case. If she truly was going to die (who can predict, noone) than so be it, but noone knows and she could of survived and been here to take care of her babies. I know I have strong beliefs to but I hope they never become strong enough that I would do something like this and put my religion or belief before my family. Please don't ream me to much, this is just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions.

Specializes in renal,peritoneal dialysis, medicine.

Hi guys, this happened at my hospital last month, was wondering what you thought about it

http://www.shropshirestar.com/2007/11/a-test-of-faith-or-mistake/

http://www.shropshirestar.com/2007/11/funeral-held-for-mother-22/

A doctor (not from my hospital) was on Sky TV yesterday saying that she would have waited for the patient to become unconsious and then treat her even though she had expressed a wish not to have blood, and signed a document saying so, isnt that against the patients wishes??

I nursed a woman once in her early 20's who was in a similar position post surgery, her hb kept dropping, she was short of breath because of this and told she was going to die, I sat on her bed one night and she cried saying she was scared to die and her faith was being tested as she had 2 young children to leave behind, during the day her husband had been quite adament she wasnt going to have the blood she needed to save her life.

She did what she needed to do to save her life and never told her family.

Faith is a funny thing, i always respect a patients wishes, but i dont know how i would have felt watching that young mother die who had just given birth to twins

your thoughts please.....

I need to add, I have no religious beliefs myself, and really enjoyed reading the Davinci Code ;)

Specializes in renal,peritoneal dialysis, medicine.

The above death happened in my hospital, I didnt nurse the lady but it was talked about alot in our local press.

Im glad i didnt nurse her, I would have found it hard, not having strong religious beliefs myself....

I suppose it depends on your own religious views but remember, this woman believes that life here on earth is secondary and that by doing gods will by not having the blood she will be rewarded by having ever lasting life on an earth which will be peaceful, free from war/disease/crime/hunger, living in harmony with her family.

If she had gone against her religion she would have believed that sometime in the future , in the afterlife, when god judges man by his actions, she would have been prevented from doing this, as she had taken the transfusion, and gone against God, she believed she would have been seperated from her family during this afterlife, although she would have been here to see them grow up, and would now be sat at home, feeding her lovely babies, and enjoying the trials of motherhood..

Now, did she die happy? or with regret? i suppose if her faith was strong enough probably happy at the thought of her future reward...

But then as a world, we all know that religion can inspire the strangest of acts, many of them violent, many of us dont understand this desire to be rewarded in the afterlife, i dont!

Personally, i will stick with what i can see, touch, smell and hear, and something i KNOW is real, which is the smile of my husband/children as they walk through the door and the fun we have together

every day is precious, life is short enough, so live it!!!!

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

I think it is a hard call and you made a nice post EN in the news section. At the end of the day we have to respect peoples beliefs and religions and as long as all information is given then all you can do is let them make their own decision

Specializes in renal,peritoneal dialysis, medicine.

your right of course sd i would respect everyones beliefs after all, thats what being a nurse is about

glad you liked my other post about it, its how i felt about the whole thing really

Specializes in Med/Surg, Nurse Educator..

acts 15:28, 29.....

John 5: 28, 29.......

Specializes in Jack of all trades, and still learning.

I respect ppl who can follow their faith, but at the same time it is scary +++. A woman who was for d/c the next day had been on ward leave, and complained on return that she had blood in her stool. When a specimen was provided it was virtually pure blood and lots of it. But a blood transfusion was refused

She had support from her family, and her minister came in as well. Although her prognosis was not good, obviously, because of her refusal of treatment, it was still a bit of a shock to come into work the next day to find that the lady had gone...

If a cancer patient refuses chemotherapy or radiation, would you want to get a court order and force it on them? If a diabetic patient refuses to take insulin, would you force it on them? If a client refuses, surgery to correct a problem or "save their life" would you force it on them? As a nurse (although, I am just a student nurse) I thought that patients had the right to receive or refuse treatment or is that only in cases that the nurse and doctors agree with? There are a lot of choices that clients make that are not in harmony with our own views but it is not fair to take that right away from people. According to the International Council of Nurses Code of Ethics, in the preamble it states: "Inherent in nursing is respect for human rights, including cultural rights, the right to life and choice, to dignity and to be treated with respect. Nursing care is respectful of and unrestricted by considerations of age, colour, creed, culture, disability or illness, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, politics, race or social status." As one of JW's, my religion is not just a religion, it is the way that I choose to live my life. I would hope that nurses and doctors that take care of me would respect my beliefs and my lifestyle.:)

Specializes in Occ health, Med/surg, ER.
I try to respect peoples beliefs, but this one I think if the law allows I would of tried to get a temporary something from a judge to allow all measures to save this mother. How selfish to not except help and leave two children without a mother because of this belief. I know I'll get all types of negative responses, but I don't know that I could of just let religion run the show in this case. If she truly was going to die (who can predict, noone) than so be it, but noone knows and she could of survived and been here to take care of her babies. I know I have strong beliefs to but I hope they never become strong enough that I would do something like this and put my religion or belief before my family. Please don't ream me to much, this is just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions.

You are entitled to your opinion. No reaming or flaming from me. But, remember that this woman had strong beliefs as well, and she was willing to die for them. Its sad, but I feel she should be entitled to make that decision.....

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