Moms bigger risk takers when birthing than their doctors
Categories: Pregnancy & birth, In the news
Back in the day when the only birthing training available was Lamaze, my husband and I dutifully attended classes to prepare for our first child. It was never openly admitted in class, but I had ascertained from TV and movies that giving birth hurts very, very, very much and the silly-sounding breathing exercises (Hee! Hee! Hee! HAW!) were the best diversionary tactics available to distract one from the pain in her nether regions.
Then I had to have a C-section and all that training went to waste.
A recent study in Sydney, Australia queried mothers on their views on complications ranging as minor as prolonged birth and superficial tears to as major as anal and urinary incontinence, vaginal prolapse and severe tearing and compared these opinions with those of doctors and midwives. The results were that first time birthers were much more willing to take risks in order to have a natural birth than were the doctors or midwives.
One out of every 4 UK pregnancies results in a C-section due to potential complications like the baby lying in the wrong position for natural birth.
According to Philip Steer, editor of the journal where the study was published, the clinical responses may, "indicate that doctors are biased by their inevitable involvement in complex cases, or labors where things have gone wrong."
I think another word for that is "experience." Sure, women have given birth unassisted thousands of years on their own, but it's important to remember that many of them (and their babies) died in the process. Stuff can go wrong, doctors realize what that stuff is, and try to keep it from happening to their patients. I personally didn't have a problem with that when my birthing situation went awry, because at the end of the proceedings, I was alive and so was my baby.
In an era of malpractice lawsuits, it's understandable why a doctor may go ahead and suggest a C-section rather than take risks. As a society, we've essentially backed the medical field into this corner and the result is C-sections that may not all be necessary and even though the mom may be willing to give it the old college try.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mamaloo 8-27-2008 @ 7:29PM
I can't even be bothered to muster a response. Ugh.
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cleo cortez 8-27-2008 @ 8:03PM
As a mother-to-be in less than 4 wks, I know all about the potential risks of labor; even though this is my first. As the author has stated, if my doc (whom I know and trust) tells me that I may need a C-section at the last minute, of course I am willing to go through whatever it takes to ensure my son's health and mine. I can see why the docs wouldn't want to risk anything because they are dealing with the lives of two people.
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Carrie 8-27-2008 @ 11:20PM
ditto to what mamaloo said. Those of us who have taken the time to educate ourselves about these topics know that most of the stuff that OBs do has never been proven to produce a better outcome, but rather it's legal CYA. In fact midwives with their low tech approach result in healthier, safer births for moms and babies.
So, yeah... Ugh.
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Sandyone 8-28-2008 @ 12:07AM
Oh, ha, ha, hee, hee! Thanks, Mamaloo and Carrie. "Experience", my foot.
There is a bit of good news in Florida....my midwife had to transfer me from home to hospital for a breech presentation. She knows a guy who knows a guy...actually, she knows THE guy who will do breech births. If I'd had to have a c-section (I didn't...he came butt first...we named him "Frank"), I would *know* that I actually needed it. But only with this doctor. Any other doctor and I would forever wonder how it could have been. Fortunately, we had a great big audience for the delivery ("could somebody please close that door??!!"), so there are that many more medical folks who have seen a breech delivery.
"Experience". Yeah.
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Sandyone 8-28-2008 @ 12:07AM
I did find it interesting that midwives were included. Of course, there are some really medically minded midwives, so I'd like to know what kinds of midwives were included in this study.
For me, the bottom line is trust in the health care provider. If mine has a good head on his/her shoulders, I'll go with whatever they recommend. I'm just glad that I can spot a good head when I see one!
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moosethumbs 8-28-2008 @ 4:17AM
"Experience." Whatever. They only went to school for it, then spent a couple of years in residency or interning, all the while piling up thousands of births... No, these so-called "Doctors" can't be trusted. I bet they want all babies vaccinated too.
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ninainindia 8-28-2008 @ 7:25AM
It's quite sad we can't trust the doctors anymore because they have alterior motives. When I'm in labour I don't want to think about anything and certainly not about if I can trust my doctor to make the right decision.
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the goddess anna 8-28-2008 @ 8:50AM
When I was pregnant with my twins, I knew I wanted to avoid a c-section. I knew my body was capable of pushing both of them out, one at a time. When I finally went into full labor after 3 weeks in the hospital, my body knew what was going on. I didn't trust that I would have a vaginal birth at first, seeing how I was wheeled to an operating room (procedure for multiples at Bethesda). It wasn't until my doctor told me they weren't cutting unless it was an emergency that I trusted her. She trusted me, and my body. And I know that the only reason I had an emergency c-section for my second twin was because his cord prolapsed, and his arm came out ahead of his head with the cord. The doctor even apologized later to me, she felt she let me down. She saved my life, and Cam's life (I almost bled out, in the OR for over three hours), and she told me that if the cord hadn't prolapsed, she had been prepared to stay with me even if it took the rest of the day and night to push out the second twin.
I know this woman is a rare type of doctor. I think her attitude that women were meant for birthing, that our bodies know what to do, is an important one. I'm also glad she knew what to do in an emergency. She's given me the confidence, so that if we do have another baby, I'm not submitting to a c-section unless it's a bona fide medical emergency.
Does anyone else think that maybe it's more endemic of male ob/gyns to be less trustful of a woman's ability to bare children? Just curious.
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MizDestin53 9-02-2008 @ 6:32PM
I wish to GOD my high risk OB (at a major teaching hospital in Houston, TX) had done a very much needed C-Section. My daughter, now 21, was injured at birth (brachial plexus birth injury) and has a life long disability because of it. She's a very bright girl who could have been much worse off due to lack of oxygen. Her Apgar score was 2, her heart was beating and that was it. She was limp, blue, and not breathing and had a bleed in her brain. This Dr. came very highly recommended but I found out too late, had injured other children the same way and was a big proponent of VBAC and hesitates to do C-Sections, oh yeah and she was prescribing drugs for herself (came out in discovery). And, yes, we sued her....to stop her from injuring other babies and mothers. She attempted a high forcepts delivery that is not even done in modern obstetrics (per our medical expert). All the money in the world won't fix my daughter's arm, elbow, neck, shoulder. My daughter has already discussed the situation w/our OB/GYN and will have a C-Section, period. No discussion.
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