Woman Calls C-Section "Rape"

The use of the word rape is certainly grabs our attention but let's not forget that sexual assault is not it's only meaning. Merriam Webster's definition of rape as a transitive verb: 1 a archaic : to seize and take away by force b : despoil (to strip of belongings, possessions, or value) 2 : to commit rape on.

She certainly has a right to plan for a VBAC at a facility and with a provider willing to abide by her wishes. If an insurance carrier tells a doctor and facility that they are not covered, what are they to do? They can't just be a nice guy or lady, cross their fingers and toes, hope for the best, and go with her wishes! Don't trash providers for this decision, this is all about liability. Our docs are pretty comfortable with VBAC, but our hopspital is not. So no more VBAC's. If the docs ignore the rule, no more ob. Then even more people suffer. Those who really want VBAC can travel twenty miles south or east. If they are in early labor, they may be transferred to a hospital of their choice. If they present to us in advanced labor, the OR team must sit there and wait until they deliver. This is not cost effective. We can't do it all of the time. I wish we offerred more options, but we must do what seems the least of all evils for our patients. I know of another facilty about 30 miles away who do VBAC's and also do not have 24 hour coverage for OR and anesthesia. Personally, I am not comfortable with that set up either, but they made that decision for themselves. Some places don't do water births. If you want one, you must go to a facility which offers it. We all have our limits. The spectrum of care is often limited by provider or circumstance. this is a fact of life. No one offers an unlimited menu of choices which will please everyone. remeber when insurance companies were making moms with prior c.sections labor against their wishes? No one liked that either.

Originally Posted by colavadel

She is calling attention to the fact that her rights as a patient, as a mother, as a human, are being taken away. All over silly hospital policy? It makes absolutely no sense.

How are her rights being taken away? I mean, odds are it’s a privately held hospital (and even if its not) they can set their own policy as long as it doesn't violate state and federal hospital regulations. They have only been upfront about their policy (silly or not...that to me is not the point). No one's rights have been violated.

Originally Posted by HeartsOpenWide

This woman was forced to have something done to her body against her wishes. I have heard of woman that refuse c-sections and then are forced by court order to get one. What other medical procedure is forced upon a patient? Just because a penis and vagina was not involved does not mean this woman did not feel violated.

Respectfully, that is incorrect since as of October 5th she has not delivered. Ergo, she has not been forced to do anything except, perhaps, to reevaluate where she wants to deliver. In terms of medical procedures that are compulsory there are several. We prosecute parents for not seeking proper medical treatment (at least what is considered proper medical treatment). Additionally, there are treatments that are mandated for certain mental health patients. I recognize that there is an international debate about this, but for now some of these policies are in place.

She is a legal risk ready to happen. If I were the MDs, I would refer her elsewhere for care. If she cannot see the reason behind a c-section for this, then she will most likely be a litigious hard-to-please patient, the likes of whom will most likely look for minute things to complain about and argue about, just to get her way. What a way to bring a new life into this world!

Many OBs are limited in doing VBACs because of the standard of care that says there must be an OB *in house* during the ENTIRE labor process for that patient, in the event of an emergency. Obviously, for someone in private practice, who has an off-site office, that can be prohibitive. Unless that patient wants to pay the going rate for having an OB at the bedside during the entire labor, she needs to get a grip, face reality, or find another provider who can offer her the care that she desires.

Interestingly enough, I used that very statement just the other day to describe how I felt about my c-section. I had a complete placenta previa with my 1st daughter. I understood the reasoning of the section, I planned for it, I prayed for a healthy baby. With my second, I was still young - 22 yrs - explained in depth to my OB how important a non-medicated, vaginal birth was to me, how I had read every book I could find, how I studied the different methods, how this experience was a "rite of passage" for me.
I was young, I was naive, I thought Dr's knew everything and I was completely dis-empowered - fearing to say no". After being on pit (which I was against), I was told after 7 hrs that I would be getting a section. What was being done to my body was against my will - yet I was terrified to fight it. I was never given the option, never given any alternative choices,never empowered to make my own decision. I was victimized. My rights were taken from me, I was drugged and cut open. Yes indeed, I felt raped. I became a Doula to prevent that from happening to any other woman that I could possibly help.

Was no one else in class the day they talked about the right to self determination? Patients have a right to refuse procedures, period. Our policies can't change that. We can have the policy to protect ourselves, or docs can have the policy to protect themselves, but if the client refuses, forcing or frightening them into surgery is battery.

Which class? Nursing class or mommy-to-be class?

I must admit that I read the post about the "saggy butt" and laughed out loud...actually gave it kudos cuz I thought it was funny and probably meant to be funny rather than authoritative. I was an OB nurse for a number of years. I watched OBs make Csection decisions based upon quite a number of things including the time of day, generally excluding the preggers woman in the consideration...the OB decision was made and he/she next engaged in obtained consent (sales and marketing skills helpful here). The bottom line is this...there ARE docs who don't have a concept of someone other than themselves deciding what is BEST for the patient(s)...they believe that their opinion is the ONLY opinion that matters. You work long enough in nursing and you will meet those docs in every specialty. Those ego-centric OBs may find themselves in a pickle with informed, empowered women. It is possible to have a safe VBAC in the home setting as well as in the hospital setting. The entire concept of advocating birth in a hospital setting is based upon immediate access to emergent care in the event of a serious problem....uhhhh...how does a hospital with a birth unit provide that access if they can't even perform emergency C-Sections??? In the absence of that ability why not deliver at home? You can do IVs there, monitor there, give meds there...heck about the ONLY thing you can't do in the home is an emergency CS...but then the hospital apparently can't either. We would be better for it if 2 things that are routinely done in the hospital became home events...birth and death.

APGAR-do you think we have the right to make decisions on the patient's behalf?

No, what inspires the question?