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Doctor reprimanded for secret sterilization
Filed under: Your Pregnancy, Health & Safety: Babies, In The News
(Click the photo to learn how to sue for malpractice)
Last year, when a woman in Berryville, Arkansas went into the hospital to deliver her baby by Cesarean section, she did not request or authorize her doctor to also perform a tubal ligation. But that minor detail didn't stop Dr. Shirolyn Ruth Moffett from doing just that. Dr. Moffett claims that she surgically ensured that this woman would never have another child because she feared that the patient's uterus would burst if she ever got pregnant again.
Not only did Dr. Moffett perform this procedure without permission, she failed to inform the woman after the fact and made no notation of what she had done on her medical chart. "I know now that was a mistake," she told the Arkansas State Medical Board. "I had not made this kind of error my whole medical career. I was appalled."
She was appalled? I imagine the woman who underwent this forced sterilization was even more appalled. Officials at St. John's hospital, where the procedure took place, clearly understood the gravity of the situation and stopped Dr. Moffett from seeing any more patients. But regulators at the Medical Board feel a reprimand is more appropriate to the offense and voted last week to allow Dr. Moffett to keep her medical license.
How is this possible? I don't get it and neither do officials at St. Johns, who released a statement expressing surprise at the decision. If performing an unauthorized and secret tubal ligation is not an offense worthy of losing a medical license, what is?
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ReaderComments (Page 3 of 15)
8-13-2008 @ 4:57PM
jules said...This would not be easy to "undo" In fact in many cases it cannot be undone, nor does reversing it always work. In this case it was probably in the woman's best interest even though it was done the way it was, considering another pregnancy could have been a death sentence for her and the next baby. This in no way condones what was done as there are proper channels it should have gone through first.
8-13-2008 @ 8:01AM
the goddess anna said...Two things: One, I *know* that I'd still ovulate, I was trying to say that my paranoia made me *that* irrational. Two, my doctor did not sterilize me in anycase.
Chort. You'd think people would be commenting about the article.
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8-13-2008 @ 8:41AM
Fran said...so far as i read the comments here ---all are missing the point here ---"This Good Doctors fault is "NOT" the performed Surgery" --as she had a very good reason for doing the surgery ----her fault is Not reporting it ---"and not reporting it only" and therefore should Not lose here liscense just for that --Repremanded --Yes ---but not to the degree of loseing her liscense --- a major fault here is the one sided opinion of the reporter that wrote the story above ---All reporters and TV commentators --Listen Up Here---"Report the storys and keep your slanted opinions to yourselves while on your shows and in your forums" ---if you want to comment go to another show or another Forum where your opinions can be chalenged fairly
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8-13-2008 @ 8:03AM
Gary said...This doctor is a blessing, she saved the woman's life. Obviously she can't control her own reproduction system on her own and her uterus was going to burst if she got pregnant again. Good job, doctor !!!
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8-13-2008 @ 9:55AM
fadedroze said...The Dr. had no right to do it without first notifying the patient or guardian. I myself was told I could not have another child due to severe health risks and I know have a beautiful healthy daughter! They can't play God. It is not there right to chose to take away a God given right to have a child. I agree with what others are saying, if she was that confident that she was doing something right she would have put it in the chart.
As far as those saying she might already have to many children.... who are you to judge? I personally know a women who has six wonderful children, and they are not living off welfare. Actually they have a very nice house and are doing quite well. I do think some women should be counseled more regarding having more children but it it NOT OUR choice to decide if she can or can not have another child.
This was wrong what the Dr. did. I don't care if she is not delivering babies, moved out of her house..... She took something that can never be replaced from someone. If she felt she had good reason then she should have done a consult with a guardian (if this women is in fact incapable) or go through the proper channels. This is why so many Dr have sky rocketing insurance to pay for, too many play God with our lives. She should loose her license.
8-13-2008 @ 12:54PM
cvwatwood said..."Obviously"? What's "obvious" about your statement. There is no information here that says the woman was not in control of her reproductive system when she got pregnant. What an ignorant statement!
8-13-2008 @ 8:21AM
Strawbblondie said...If the doctor felt she felt was right in performing the tubal ligation, she would have had the confidence to note it in the chart and been prepared to defend her decision.
Even if the woman had learning disabilities, there would have been a family member, advocate, or social worker the doctor could have discussed her concerns with.
Most tubal ligations are very difficult to reverse, especially if the tubes are cut and cauterized.
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8-14-2008 @ 1:41PM
knslupus said...When one signs a consent for ANY surgery there is a clause that reads something like "and any other procedures deemed necessary." What I get from this story and there is ALWAYS a lot left out by the media) is that this doctor's judgement was that the state of the patient's uterus was so poor that it would rupture if she were to even become pregnant again. That is a life-threatening situation where the baby usually dies, and sometimes the mother does too. Not pretty. I think her lapse in judgement was in not informing the patient.
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8-13-2008 @ 8:30AM
anna said...Learning diabilites have nothing to do with your intellect, some of the bigghtest people in the world have them, it just means you may need to take in information differently then others, and this surely does not make what that doctor did right by any means!!!
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8-13-2008 @ 8:35AM
Chris said...It is very apparent that the Arkansas Medical Board needs to be revamped and everyone on it shown the door. The doctor doesn't have the right to sterilize someone without their consent unless it is an emergency situation, which it clearly wasn't since "she feared that the patient's uterus would burst if she ever got pregnant again", so there was time to speak with her client.
This doctor should clearly no be allowed to practice. How many other choices has she made for patients and then not told them about. A criminal investigation should be looked at, she assaulted, and injuried this patient to the point that it can't be fixed. She no better than a rapist or any other felon.
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8-14-2008 @ 6:58AM
annperiana said...This doctor played God. What gives her the right to do this without even discussing this with the patient or an advocate. Reminds me of someone taking the law into their own hands. She should have lost her license and the patient and her family should sue her and the hospital.
8-13-2008 @ 8:35AM
atparrish07 said...You people are forgeting one crucial detail: It was not the doctors job to ensure that this woman didnt have any more children. The lady should have made the decisin to either get her tubes tied or not. The doctor should not have made th decision for her. I hope she sues the crap out of that stupid doctor.
PS: De, tubal litigation is not easily reversed, and when it is reversed, it isnt always sucessfull. I had my tubes tied, but changed my mind two years later, and the doctor wasnt able to repair them.
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8-13-2008 @ 8:40AM
Carrie said...Sounds like the Doctor did the wrong thing for the right reason. I wonder what would have happened if the Doctor had done nothing? Would the patient be sueing her for NOT perfprming the surgury that would have prevented het uterus exploding??
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8-13-2008 @ 8:50AM
Susan said...OK, where in the world in the article did it say she was learning disabled? Do I read too fast?
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8-13-2008 @ 10:45AM
Sandyone said...Susan, maybe it's not that you read too fast...maybe you're learning disabled!! Hee hee.
The parentdish entry didn't mention the woman's learning disability, but I googled an article and read it there. I don't buy for one single minute that this doctor performed this sterilization because of a thin uterus. It had everything to do with the woman's learning disability and the doctor's desire. Thin uterus, my eye.
It's a bit scary to see several comments here that support eugenic policies. More than a bit.
8-13-2008 @ 10:52AM
Susan said...Sandyone,
I was starting to think I was learning disabled, when I couldn't find what I was looking for! LOL Thanks for responding to my comment.
I also agree with you 100%. I had a very thin, very stretched uterus as well, yet went on to have five more children, with minimal trouble!
I think she was doing her part to insure no more children were born to her because she is disabled. To me, that's Hitler material, survival of the fittest, reproduce only from "normal" parents. Its horrible, disgraceful, and I would push for the doctor to lose her license. There, I'm off my soapbox now. Thanks for listening! Have a good day Sandyone!
8-13-2008 @ 8:51AM
cheri said...Having learning difficulties does not automatically give someone else permission to decide your life for you. This doctor may have had good intentions, but she was wrong never the less. If her life would have indeed been in danger, and she was so disabled that she could not comprehend that, an advocate would have given permission. This doctor did not have to do this in secrecy. It is unfortunate that we base how we feel about one another on IQ. People with disablilities often live wonderful fullfilled lives, despite the adversity faced by people who doubt them every day. try supporting someone who is different rather than controling them.
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8-13-2008 @ 8:53AM
yoyo76 said...Regardless of how many children she had or her mental capacity the dr. had absolutly no right to do this without consent. For the dr. to be reprimanded is even worse. That is just saying that no matter what a dr. does to you it's ok. The medical board is just as idiotic as the dr.
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8-13-2008 @ 9:01AM
Ms.Lovely said...Whether or not this Doctor thought something was in the patients best interest - She hid this information from everyone else - which lets you know that she knew good and well that this was wrong. Just like the Doctor that 'voluntarily' put the tattoo on his patients panty line! Doctors are getting too out of hand with their 'opinions' on what's right for a patient - Do what I ask you to do and nothing more - If you think I don't understand then speak with one of your superiors or someone in my family or something. Don't sneakily give me surgery I didn't request.
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8-13-2008 @ 9:44AM
dan said...Howdy,
No one; ever! Has the right to usurp any human's right! Ever! To do so is Evil and worse! If you find yourself lining up with the Dr.'s motives, you are wrong!
No matter a patient's (human's) condition, it is all they have! With only one life, that is the only chance they have to live! Shouldn't that one time on earth be in freedom? That over-rides all other "but's"!
Who are you to decide that person's rights to procreate? To live? And to die?
To see where Hitler got his ideas, search "Dr. Walter A. Plecker" and such hoity toity rich, such as Rockerfeller. And their attempts to sterilize the "mud people"! Anyone who, in Plecker's thinking, was trying to pass as "indian", had their marrage race changed! So one day you have all your rights to vote, go to a white school, marry whom you would. The next you loose it all! Even forbidden to marry a "white" (there ain't no such!). Or you were married to, and had given birth (retroactively) to "Nigras"! Kids who now (having one drop of African blood) are considered Negro, and have all that used to pertain to the Negro, placed upon their heads!
Forced sterilization!? Not again! Please.....
Dan
TX (also see; "Melungeon")
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