Too many women dying in the US

[Kapihopela]

But the whole reason doctors have so much education is because they are in a complicated field.  I don't expect Joe Blow off the street to A) be able to find, read and understand complex scientific studies nor do I expect mainstream media to explain a new scientific discovery in an unbiased and accurate way.  The fastest and easiest way for Joe Blow to be educated on a procedure is to get that information from their doctor.

[Ikissedagirl]

Ok, first you're assuming the doctor is put to date on the latest and greatest scientific discovery and two you're assuming it takes a scientifically complex study to understand what happens during pregnancy and childbirth.    IMO, pregnancy and childbirth is MADE complex BECAUSE of medical science.

[Kapihopela]

On that first assumption, the idea that doctors DON'T stay up to date scares the crap out of me and yes I believe that they should HAVE to stay current on all discoveries in their field. 

On your second assumption I agree with you 100%.  Wat I am saying is that the doctor has the obligation to fully explain the risks, benefits and alternatives to the medical interventions before they proceed with them.  And that may lower the incidences of using them incorrectly and the the rates of suing after a procedure goes badly.

[Ikissedagirl]

But there are a lot of differing opinions when it comes to medical scientific evidence.  If, like you said, there is scientific evidence to support women eating during labor then why aren't doctors following them?  Wouldn't that indicate that doctors aren't up to date?

I would agree that doctors have a right to fully explain medical interventions, and in this particular case, I'd have to think they *probably* do for the most part.  It's just that these practices have become so commonplace that women probably have stopped paying attention.  Kinda like flying on an airplane--once you've heard and seen the flight attendants spiel when the flight takes off you probably just stop paying attention.

[nomorewirehangers]

Hmmm. I'm post (and article skimming)  but I will say that this is one of the reasons I love to hate my OB... 


He won't let me do what I want to do just because I want to do it.    I wanted (in fact cried and begged) to be induced last week when things started to stall and he just smiled and said "we'll discuss it after your due date."  He then briefly explained that he wasn't going to cave on this, and that while he knew my body was having a hard time that the baby and I were both fine. This is "normal..." and that he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize things going as naturally as possible.

(roughly paraphrased):

"Induction is the absolute last recourse before c-section, neither of which really need to happen unless the baby lets me know it's overstayed it's welcome in there...which she will do if by appearing distressed in some way, or if there is some serious physical ailment in you that requires me to go in and get her. Other than that we just need to let it ride, k?"

(don't think he's overly chivalrous lol...this is also his was of reminding me that his practice is a busy one, and he won't be there for the majority of it- just in time to check me a few times during his rounds and to deliver the baby.)

[ronin]

First of all, I wanted to say that I was not discouraged from eating when I had my babies.  I wasn't encouraged in anyway, but definitely not discouraged.

Then I wanted to say that, when I was pregnant with WeeMan, my doctor made it very clear that, if he had his way, he was going to induce me a week before my due date.  I went home and had a chit chat with Baby and we decided that he was going to come out that night. 

Seriously, he was concerned that "the baby was going to be too big"  if he wasn't born soon.  Uh, the estimation (and it turned out to be a very accurate one) was that he was somewhere just over 8 lbs (he was 8 lbs. 2 oz.).  It meant that if he waited until the due date, he may have been somewhere closer to 9 lbs.  That's not gigantic.  I told him that unless leaving him alone was going to somehow harm me or him, there was no way I was getting induced.

My husband then wanted to admit me for being, um, fucking insane.  I was miiiiiiiiiserable.  He was watching me struggle to do...pretty much anything.  I just really wanted him to come out on his own and "he's just going to get bigger if you leave him in there" wasn't a good enough reason to force him out.

If I were going to have another baby, I would not go back to that doctor.  He was a nice enough guy and all, and a good doctor for the most part, but I don't appreciate the pressure for the unnecessary induction.

[faemum]

could part of the problem be more women receiving fertility treatment to fall pregnant , including age , overweight/ obese women?
I don't have an issue with the fertility treatments , just saying that statistically it may have an impact if women who had trouble physically falling pregnant may have a riskier pregnancy .

[GeekMom]

I've often wondered about that fae. There are so many different fertility treatments out there, and long term studies of some of the effects do not seem to have been done. I never got that far - I looked at what was involved in IVF and immediately called the adoption agency. The idea of messing around with my body to that extent scared the living shit out of me. I guess I always thought that if God meant me to have bio kids, I would have. No sense in going broke and endangering my health for a chance at passing on my genes. And so many women are just so determined that nothing, not age, physical or mental health is going to get in the way of them having a bio kid. There's nothing wrong with that if you're 35, but if you're 55? Seems like you're taking an awful risk. Then once you do manage to somehow get pregnant, you don't want to take any potential risk at birth. So you agree to every intervention under the sun to guarantee the arrival of that baby. It just seems like we've put such a high premium on being a biological parent that people will risk anything to do it. Well, people who aren't major scaredy cats like myself that is. Me, I'm all about the outsourcing...

[Mtlchick26]

I was actually allowed to eat the whole time I was in labor. I had an epi  (a walking one where I could feel my legs, and that didn't last very fucking long  ) and if my doc had been any other doc I think she would have scheduled me for a c-section. She kept saying Ava would be a huge baby. She estimated 8-9 lbs. She was 10 lbs 2 oz. I went into labor a week early so there was no talk of induction, and there never was. I think it depends on where you live and what doc you have. I see no need to ask for a c-section or induction unless your doctor thinks it's medically best for baby or mom. Even after having a big baby and suffering like a dog like I did and having lasting issues because of it I would have went through it all again rather than have a c-section. (Unless I had no choice of course). Surgery scares the crap outta me and that to me is surgery.