Forced Csection??

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

The Citizens Voice

Woman hits hospitals' stance that she agree to C-section

By Lisa Napersky , Citizens' Voice Staff Writer 01/17/2004

A Plymouth woman who was ordered by a Luzerne County judge to consent to a Caesarean section delivery of her baby said Friday she was appalled by the treatment she received at two area hospitals.

While she was in labor Tuesday night, Amber Marlowe, Academy Street, Plymouth, said she spent hours defending her right to deliver her baby lady partslly.

She and her husband, John, drove to three different hospitals before she found a doctor who would respect her wishes.

"It was very upsetting," stated Marlowe, who gave birth lady partslly to a healthy baby girl Thursday morning in Moses Taylor Hospital, Scranton. "All this just because I didn't want an operation."

After Marlowe refused to consent to a C-section and checked herself out of Wilkes-Barre General Hospital Wednesday morning, the hospital took legal action against her.

Hospital workers claimed that an ultrasound indicated Marlowe's fetus weighed 13 pounds and the lives of the mother and the baby would be in jeopardy if the operation weren't performed.

At the request of Wyoming Valley Health Care Systems, Luzerne County President Michael Conahan signed an order Wednesday appointing the hospital as legal guardian for the unborn child.

Judge Conahan also ordered that the parents "are hereby temporarily restrained from refusing to consent to a C-section delivery of their unborn fetus if the professional medical judgment of WVHCS and the treating obstetrician is that such a procedure is necessary."

The preliminary injunction ordering Marlowe to submit to the C-section was delivered to her residence, but she never received the document.

"They kept wanting to cut me open to get the baby. I think they may have actually sent police to our house, but we weren't home," said Marlowe. "I kept telling them I've already had six kids, and the biggest one weighed 12 pounds and there were no problems."

Marlowe said when she started having contractions Tuesday night, she went to Mercy Hospital, Wilkes-Barre, because it was close to her home. After medical personnel performed an ultrasound, Marlowe said she was informed the baby was going to weigh more than 11 pounds and a doctor insisted that she undergo a C-section operation, even though there were no apparent problems.

"They told me there was no way they would let me deliver the baby naturally because the doctor didn't want a lawsuit," said Marlowe. "I had a friend who died during a C-section, and I was afraid to do it that way."

Even when the couple offered to sign papers promising not to file a lawsuit, the doctor refused, explained Marlowe. She said staff members at Mercy Hospital called security when she told them she was leaving.

She and her husband next drove to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Marlowe was admitted at 10 p.m., and a second ultrasound was done.

Doctors there reached the same conclusion as those at Mercy Hospital. They also refused to deliver the baby lady partslly, claiming it was too dangerous because of the size of the fetus.

Throughout the night, said Marlowe, nurses and doctors told her "horror stories" about how her baby was going to be handicapped if she didn't have the operation. She checked herself out at 11 a.m.

"I told them, forget it - I'm leaving. Then I came up here (Moses Taylor) and had my baby the proper way," she stated. "The doctor here never even suggested a C-section.

They did an ultrasound and blood work and continued to monitor me, and there was no problem."

In the civil complaint filed against the Marlowes, who are referred to as Jane and John Doe in court documents because of patient confidentiality, plaintiffs are listed as the WVHCS and Baby Doe.

"Even in the absence of present fetal distress and even with ongoing fetal monitoring, a lady partsl delivery of this size fetus could result in complications occurring during the delivery ... and result in unavoidable death or serious impairment to the baby," states the complaint. "Baby Doe, a full term viable fetus, has certain rights, including the right to have decisions made for it, independent of its parents, regarding its health and survival."

According to the suit, John and Amber Marlowe cited religious reasons for not wanting to have the operation. The complaint also states that during one of Marlowe's previous pregnancies, the baby suffered shoulder impairment because of the size of the fetus. The couple said neither allegation is true, and that the main reason for wanting lady partsl delivery was fear of having an operation.

Marlowe said she and her husband are contemplating filing a lawsuit against Mercy and General hospitals for causing them distress.

©The Citizens Voice 2004

www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10824225&BRD=2259&PAG=461&dept_id=455154&rfi=6

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Did I miss it in the article . . .how much did her baby end up weighing?

I think having the authorities weigh in here is wrong but I also don't think having a cesarean is that big a deal. I had 3 vag deliveries and 1 emergency cesarean. The point for me was to get the baby out safely.

Women die giving birth lady partslly too. She sounds a little over the edge.

BUT, I don't think she should be forced.

Weird story. Thanks.

steph

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All they said was less than 13 pounds. Apparently, a csection was a big deal to her and I can respect that. Many people have fear of surgery, and since she had delivered 6 children lady partslly, one that was 12 pounds, I can understand why she would think a CS was unneccesary.

I'm just curious about the logistics of forced surgery. I mean do you have to restrain them to the bed and then forcibly pick them up and put them on the OR table? And I guess you'd have to do a general to make sure they wouldn't get up. Just wonering, you know, in case it ever comes up at work. :devil:

:roll

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Something doesn't sound right. Did she have prenatal care? It seems like if she did her Ob gyn would have known about the increased size and her history. Makes you wonder doesn't it?

Got to admit I had a C-section the first time and a v-bac second time. V-bac was alot easier on me.

Noney

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I believe women have the right to refuse surgery, but the hospital should also have the right to refuse to treat her in this case. Lawsuits are just too common and I can't imagine any doctor wanting to risk delivering a 13 lb baby if there was a hystory of shoulder impairtment.

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Originally posted by fergus51

I believe women have the right to refuse surgery, but the hospital should also have the right to refuse to treat her in this case. Lawsuits are just too common and I can't imagine any doctor wanting to risk delivering a 13 lb baby if there was a hystory of shoulder impairtment.

That is a good point. I've been in some very very scary delivers when the shoulder has gotten stuck and then there was some impairment.

During my fourth pregnancy, which was a surprise, I found myself wishing for a cesarean. I just don't like the feeling of being out of control of my own body and labor feels like that to me. Funny that I ended up with one but I was so grateful because my son was delivered ok.

steph

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In a landmark 1987 case the court resoundingly concluded that in virtually all circumstances a woman -- not doctors or a judge -- should make medical decisions on behalf of herself and her fetus

http://archive.aclu.org/issues/reproduct/coercive.html

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I think there is more to this story and doubt its angle somewhat. It sound fishy. JMO.

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I agree with the person who said the story sounds fishy. It sounds like she was a drop-in with no prenatal care. After having had 6 children, if she so wanted to deliver lady partslly she could have always opted for home birth. I would like to have a lot more information on this praticular case.

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Originally posted by stevielynn

That is a good point. I've been in some very very scary delivers when the shoulder has gotten stuck and then there was some impairment.

During my fourth pregnancy, which was a surprise, I found myself wishing for a cesarean. I just don't like the feeling of being out of control of my own body and labor feels like that to me. Funny that I ended up with one but I was so grateful because my son was delivered ok.

steph

I had a woman delivering with a big baby that had dystocia and it was hands down the scariest experience of my career. If I had a baby that big, I would be demanding a lady partsl bypass!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

To paraphrase Paul Harvey...

Let's hear "the rest of the story".

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And who do you think she'd sue if someting happend during the vag delivery?:rolleyes:

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