So true Andrea. Many years ago a woman consented to be admitted with a transverse lie at term but rejected any treatment. She was a mulipara. Many times over the next week the dangers were explained (such explanation was well documented) and she declined CS. Finally she consented and it was scheduled for the next day. That evening SROM and thick mec. Emergency CS and a beautiful boy around 9 lbs was born. Died next day of Mec aspiration pneumonia. She blamed the hospital. That left us feeling bad but eventually she came to realise just what happened and when she came an gave us a potted plant for the ward we knew she had done a lot of work with her grief and was starting to come out the other side. Cheers Judy
--- Andrea Robertson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > One aspect of "choice" that needs to be considered is that > even when > all the pros and cons are weighted carefully and a very > "informed" > choice is made, there is no guarantee that the option chosen > will > prove to be the best in the final analysis. Mistakes can still > be > made and decisions thought to be the best can turn out to be > the > worst. This may result in an unexpected outcomes, but is part > of > life and often leads to rapid and useful learning. > > However, often when a poor choice leads to a bad outcome, the > blame > starts flying and scapegoats are sought (part of the grieving > process). It can often be the mother who is blamed (for > example in a > home birth) or the doctor, if the birth takes place in > hospital. > > For example, if a woman decided, after being told all the > advantages > and disadvantages of an induction and is counselled on likely > outcomes, then still choose this option then I belive she must > be > supported in her decision. It still may turn out OK (Sally > Tracy's > work showed that if a perfectly healthy mother chooses an > induction > for no medical reason she has a 40% chance of coming through > without > further intervention). If things do turn out unexpectedly and > complications arise, then this women needs support postnatally > so > that she learns from the event. However, she may be blamed or > left > feeling guilty or depressed without supportive counselling > with no > opportunity to learn how her decision, even though taken > carefully, > was in the event not the best one she could have made. > > I am all for choice and better options being made available. I > also > believe that women will try and make the best decisions they > can > given a chance, and even though they may decide to do things > differently than we would, they have a right to make those > choices. Circumstances change too, and these may affect the > decision > making process - labour can be much harder than anticipated > and help > may be sought. This is where the options are really needed so > that an > epidural is not the only option available, but baths, showers > etc etc > are also at hand (and a lot of this will come down to > midwifery > attitudes and skills). > > This is a tricky area - "informed choice" is really a myth, as > so > many vested interests come into play, but we must support > women once > they have made a considered decision. To do less would be to > undermine her further and to miss the opportunity for > learning, even > of some of those lessons are unpalatable at the time. > > Not really expressing this well this morning..... > > Regards > > Andrea > > > > > At 03:29 PM 17/06/2006, you wrote: > >Dear Sue and all > > > >What an amazing thread!! > > > >Choice is the key. The choices that are respected and funded > are > >those that prop up the medical monopoly of the big business > of birth. > > > >So all you wonderful midwives out there, start/keep saying > >it. There are no rules or protocols for women, there is > evidence > >and advice and a duty of care for midwives but at the end of > the day > >a woman must be making the decision. It is not until we have > a full > >complement of choice from homebirth to elec c/s can we say > that > >women are really making a choice. Now it is choice within a > vacuum > >of medical dominance. > > > >I heard an interesting thing re ADHD on the radio the other > >day. The researcher said "if we only ask Drs we will only > ever get > >a medical response". Nothing new but nicely put. By > continuing to > >defer to medicos when the majority of us have no medical > condition > >we will never make lasting change. > > > >I believe some midwifery stars were recently at a conference > >espousing the benefits of managed 3rd stage and justified by > saying > >physiological could only ever be considered when things were > totally > >natural so there was no real point etc. Whilst I understand > the > >pragmatics of that comment and the reality of the current > system. I > >find this a real sell-out and on par with the CTG argument > and many others. > > > >Just because something is the majority does not mean it is > >right. Sometimes all the fools are simply on the same side, > rich > >and very powerful ones I know. > > > >Recently I was told midwives greeted my news of twins at home > with > >reasonable upset saying it was one thing to do it but I > should have > >done it quietly!! Oh dear. It would have been so much nicer > to > >have prem babies with respiratory distress (saved by > Obstetrics) or > >a "vaginal birth" in lithotomy with a forceps for twin 2. > > > >Lets get real. Innocent until proven guilty and Healthy > until proven sick!! > > > >They key to change is in the unity. If enough midwives and > women > >said No more it would change very quickly. > > > >When we disagree and are challenged let's ask ourselves where > the > >woman's rights are in our anger, upset et etc and let's > continue to > >shout it loudly to Obs 'cause they have no argument. > > > > > >JC > > > > > > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or > unsubscribe. > ____________________________________________________ On Yahoo!7 Dating: It's free to join and check out our great singles! http://www.yahoo7.com.au/personals -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. 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