Mar 3

“…We WILL Put You Under And You WILL Have An Emergency Cesarean.”

“If you haven’t delivered in less than 3 hours, we WILL put you under and you WILL have an emergency c-section.” -OB Resident said this to mother who refused to sign the waiver forms for a c-section at 2 cm dilated and only 30% effaced.

149 people dislike these words.

There are 30 comments to this post.

Elizabeth had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 4:50 am (Quote)

so what happened in the end?

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Catie had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 4:52 am (Quote)

If it were me the next thing out of my mouth would be “And I WILL file assault charges.”

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Jane had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 5:10 am (Quote)

I assume the baby was handling contractions just fine?

This is another case where if the OB were denied the use of his or her wrist watch, the labor would probably progress much better.

And why the insistence on putting her under? And how did he *know* that in three hours there would be an emergency?

It would be nice if the mom posted back that she thanked the doctor for his time,left, and delivered at home. But these stories seldom go the way we would like.

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The Deranged Housewife had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 5:39 am (Quote)

What, is this guy trying for his “be an asshole to patients” badge today or what?

And I WILL be speaking to my attorney, and you WILL not graduate from medical school….grr…I hope the mom writes us back and clarifies some things. Hopefully she got her vaginal birth!

Why the need to completely sedate? So she can’t argue anymore?

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GranolaRN Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 9:35 am GranolaRN(Quote)

Well, in an emergency situation the complete sedation (general anesthesia) is faster and every second counts. However, I don’t think this guy was talking about that. He was just making threats and being a jackass because this poor mom wouldn’t just do what he said without question. I hope she delivered vaginally.

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The Deranged Housewife Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:31 pm The Deranged Housewife(Quote)

That’s what I mean. Three hours doesn’t sound very emergent, so therefore no need to put her completely under except to shut her up. Talk about feeling *completely* – instead of just partially? – powerless with the threat of that hanging over your head. The idea of basically being out cold while things are done to you adds an extra element of fear that I can’t even imagine.

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Judith Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 5:42 pm Judith(Quote)

why were you in the hospital at 2cm and 30% effaced? that is latent labor and hopefully you would be at home!

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Gem Reply:
March 15th, 2010 at 7:47 am Gem(Quote)

That’s my question. Sounds like an induction to me.

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Jena had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 5:52 am (Quote)

Pfft, guys like this don’t wear watches on their wrists, they wear crystal balls. “I predict something horrible will happen in a few hours. Enter my trance. Your unlucky number is three. Cross my palm with gold. *hand waving… whether Jedi mind trick or mystical-ahem-medical magic is hard to tell*”

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Kristen Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 6:06 am Kristen(Quote)

Nice Jena! Unfortunately, so true…

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Doula Head Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 10:18 am Doula Head(Quote)

That’s not how it happens? I thought these OB’s were all knowing? OH THE HUMANITY!!

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Erin had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 5:57 am (Quote)

This was filed under twins, so I’m guessing the doctor was pissed that she didn’t just schedule the c-section.

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Lucia Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 10:38 am Lucia(Quote)

Ah yes, because twins are just SO dangerous. Can’t let them stay in there two long, they’re sure to rip through you like something out of an aliens movie and then get stuck and die. Yup. Thats pretty much why my Drs were insistant I have a section with mine. Jerks (and not I’m not the OP, just another disgruntled twin mom )

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JACKIE had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 6:02 am (Quote)

WTF?? I am so scared that she caved in. They must teach these docs when to grab the vulnerable opportunity! MORON! Hope he gets to pass a really large kidney stone in his lifetime!!!

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erin Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 6:48 am erin(Quote)

And I hope his doctor tells him that if he doesn’t pass it in 3 hours they WILL cut it out of him.

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jesikae had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 7:34 am (Quote)

I wish we knew the whole story! Please write in OP!

Those words are so vicious and sound like an assault all by themselves.

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Sheva had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 7:36 am (Quote)

My friend told me, “The most dangerous of obstetrical technologies nowadays is the clock.”
So true.
OP, please let us know what happened!

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Heather P had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 7:55 am (Quote)

Eeek. I’m curious to know what happened also. Its not like there could have an emergency if he gave her a three hour time line. Not that three hours would be sufficient to dilate 8cm if a deadline had been imposed.

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Karyn Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:12 am Karyn(Quote)

Heather P: Eeek.I’m curious to know what happened also.Its not like there could have an emergency if he gave her a three hour time line.Not that three hours would be sufficient to dilate 8cm if a deadline had been imposed.

Why wouldn’t 3 hours be sufficient to dilate from 3cm to 8cm? Some people do that in an hour or less… I’m not saying everyone does, and in most cases you’d be correct, but that’s not true of everyone.

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Sheva Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:17 am Sheva(Quote)

I think she just meant that generally, stress and anxiety slows down or shuts down a labor.
So that the doc’s prediction would become a self fulfilling prophecy.
Also, I think that women usually speed up after 4 or 5 cms, and until then it’s slower.
I also think that interventions before the halfway mark are more likely to stall things than those done after.
But that’s just my experience with my labors and labors I’ve attended or heard about.

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Karyn Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:22 am Karyn(Quote)

True, I hope it wasn’t the case. Hope the OP shows up to elaborate.

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Heather P Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:41 am Heather P(Quote)

Yes, that’s what I meant. Not that she was physically incapable of dilating that fast, but being in a stressful environment with a countdown clock hanging over her would shut down her labor.

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Elizabeth had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 9:27 am (Quote)

I too am anxious to know what happened. i would really like to know what they are teaching doctors these days to think that that kind of treatment is even ok!?

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Stephanie - Home with the Kids had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 12:42 pm (Quote)

Wow. What a jerk. I’d be wanting a different OB, although I doubt that I’d have the presence of mind to say so at such a time.

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Jane had this to say, Mar 3, 2010 @ 1:12 pm (Quote)

I just realized — this was the resident,not the patient’s OB. I hope she called her real doctor and the hospital’s ombudsman and had them take the resident’s head clean off his shoulders.

Bullying a patient at that point in your career is a reaaaaaally bad start.

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Meg had this to say, Mar 4, 2010 @ 4:28 am (Quote)

It would be nice if in real life, in situations like that, she *could* just get up and walk out. But all too often, docs like that have judges on speed dial and will get a court order nearly instantly, or else threaten the mom with CPS if she tries to leave the hospital.
People don’t realize the degree to which women’s civil rights are being trampled using the “rights of the child” as interpreted by the State, as leverage against the woman.

So, in a very real way, despite what rights she SHOULD have had, this woman may in fact have been well and truly pinioned. And forcible sedation has been used to render an objecting woman unconscious and helpless. They can say anything they want, including that the patient was hysterical, etc. And once she’s under, that’s it. Her rights are over.

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Elizabeth had this to say, Mar 4, 2010 @ 3:54 pm (Quote)

Not to go off topic, but I’m just wondering why there is an ad to cryopreserve amniotic fluid stem cells? Seriously??

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Elizabeth Reply:
March 4th, 2010 at 3:55 pm Elizabeth(Quote)

(ad on the bottom of this page)

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Kat Reply:
March 4th, 2010 at 9:07 pm Kat(Quote)

Because google ads (or similar services) place ads based on keywords their software picks up in a particular site. Any site about birth, pregnancy, etc. will get similar ads.

I use the FREE “Adblock Plus” addon on my FREE Firefox browser. I cannot see any of the ads, and that suits me just fine.

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