Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Mar
4
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
“Of Course, Pitocin Is Optional…You Should Find A Different Hospital To Deliver.”
“Of course, Pitocin is optional…but if you plan on denying it, you should find a different hospital to deliver.” – OB to mother when discussing how an induction was needed if the mother went past her due date.
There are 14 comments to this post.
Umm.. was that a threat? Because you can’t kick me out of your hospital when I am in active labor. That’s the law. 
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Jane Reply:
March 4th, 2011 at 12:27 pm (Quote)
Ah, but the mom wouldn’t be in active labor–they’re talking induction. So they *can* kick her out and refuse to induce her. (With the pitocin she’s refusing.) Oh the horror.
Then one day, her body and her baby will be ready and she’ll walk into the hospital in active labor and they can’t kick her out then. 
THe problem is, of course, that while they can’t kick her out in labor, they can do punitive things to her that are just this side of malpractice. We’ve seen that kind of behavior often enough on this site.
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Nicole Reply:
March 4th, 2011 at 8:09 pm (Quote)
If they’re inducing for the right reasons (emergency ones) then they still have to treat her, regardless of her refusal/consent to the Pitocin. It’s called EMTALA (emergency medical treatment and active labor act). If mom or baby are at emergent risk then they still don’t have this to fall back on, because it falls under “emergency medical treatment”, even if it’s not “active labor”.
Essentially, the doctor doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
I often wonder why doctors don’t just hand out a flier at the first prenatal “Hey, expectant moms! Do you like to make your own decisions? Do you want me to respect your bodily autonomy? Do you like to be informed of all your options and the risks/benefits of each? Would you ever, under any circumstances, tell me “no?” Then go someplace else!”
Would save THEM and US a lot of hassle. If all they want to treat is “easy patients” then there are enough of them out there that they could still make bank and leave us the hell alone.
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I could see the exact same words showing up on Thoughtful Thursday if said to a mother with options, and in a polite, respectful way. Especially if the OB was not affiliated with the hospital.
Since it’s not Thursday, I’m assuming this was NOT said as a respectful, gentle warning. And/or was said to a mother with no easy way to get to a different hospital to deliver…in some areas, if you want (or need) a hospital delivery, there’s really only one choice even if you have a car. And in some others there’s only one choice unless you have a car.
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As much as I hate this post, I have to give the doc credit (?) for the most creative way to say “it’s my way or the highway” while attempting to follow the law (what little they understand about it, anyway) with regards to informed consent/refusal at the same time.
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Add Your Comment.
Is this a warning? It sounds like it could either be a warning or a threat. Would another hospital be more open and respectful to a pitocin-free birth or is this something the doctor just refuses to do?
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