Comments on: A letter from a hospital explaining why they banned VBAC

By: Kayce

Kayce — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:54:57 +0000

The only thing I can say is… wow….

The majority of women in this country would look at this letter, see that there are untold risks of rupture with a VBAC and instantly schedule their cesarean.

The few remaining will fight the decision, and if even a little thing goes wrong, everyone is blaming the mother because she didn’t do what was best for her baby and have a cesarean.

Sure, rupture is real. But you actually have a 99% chance of NOT HAVING ONE. Some doctors have never even seen a rupture, even a little one (and I’m talking about the VBAC doctors that still cover it).

Our country is losing its mind, and it is beginning with birth…

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:40:59 +0000

Hey Jen, I know this is an old blog post, but you know me. I can’t leave a page asking for stats on risk of rupture after an unusual incision. So here you go, from the Landon Study:

Low Transverse – 0.7%
Low Vertical – 2.0%
Classical, Inverted T or J – 1.9%
Unknown – 0.5%

By: Anatomy and Physiology of a VBAC Ban « The Trial of Labor

Anatomy and Physiology of a VBAC Ban « The Trial of Labor — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:02:13 +0000

[...] VBAC Facts post – A letter from a hospital explaining its ban [...]

By: Karen

Karen — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:31:09 +0000

VBAC a procedure? You don’t do a VBAC to anyone! Mothers birth their babies, simple.

Clearly this OB needs to update his anatomy knowledge as he obviously is not aware of the difference between his posterior and his elbow. *sigh*

By: Cassia

Cassia — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:53:52 +0000

Wow. Now, I can’t remember my sources… but I seem to remember reading that hospitals can’t *legally* ban VBACs…. OK, found it: http://www.ican-online.org/vbac/your-right-refuse-what-do-if-your-hospital-has-banned-vbac-q

I guess that applies to federally funded hospitals, at least.

Oh, and I love how he completely ignores the risk a C/S puts on future pregnancies–no matter what the birth mode of “choice” may be.

By: Danell Swim

Danell Swim — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:42:37 +0000

This is amazing. I posted it on TrueBirth as well, in the Internet News section. Great work!

By: Letter From OB Explaining VBAC Ban : TrueBirth.com

Letter From OB Explaining VBAC Ban : TrueBirth.com — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:54:09 +0000

[...] Read more. [...]

By: janel

janel — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:05:53 +0000

Thank you for this article. It is extraordinary. I am posting a link to it on my blog.

“Why is it, when a woman wants a diagnostic test, this risk is ‘acceptable,’ yet when a woman wants a vaginal birth, the normal biological consequence of pregnancy, a smaller risk is unacceptable? I have yet to hear one person make a woman feel guilty about having an amniocentesis because she might kill her baby, yet it is quite common for women seeking VBAC to be treated as if they are accepting an excessive amount of risk. Yet, I have met women who will not VBAC because the risk is to great, yet, when their OB suggested an amniocentesis, they consent.”

This is but one of many, many such inconsistencies and incongruencies in obstetrics.

I am a baby advocate and I believe that the baby is fully present and aware, experiences and remembers birth, and is profoundly impacted. 100% cesarean rate because it is safer for the baby!?!? This is so unscientific, illogical, and criminal.

Keep up the great work.

By: Ute

Ute — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 01:28:17 +0000

“The acceptance of women’s autonomy and right to choose their mode of delivery has led to a significant number of women simply choosing Cesarean as the preferred mode of delivery.”

Well, goody then… let’s all have c-sections!!

Ugh!

Ute, who had a V2BAC!

By: Dr. Loveless

Dr. Loveless — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:23:00 +0000

Jen:

Thanks for the letter (I can’t believe you retyped it!) One thing that struck me immediately is the condescending tone. Not one of discussion but simply dismissing facts without consideration.

I also noticed that he (I’m assuming here) equated uterine rupture with fetal demise, albeit subtly. Those types of maneuvers only feed fear amongst previous C/S moms, making it seem that any complication with delivery will lead to their baby dying.

Keep up the strong work. I agree that mom’s sentiments can change but it will take continued hard work and discussion.

Dr. Loveless

“Oh you’re pregnant? Who is your midwife?”

By: Sheridan

Sheridan — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:09:25 +0000

Jen,
This is an interesting letter and a great rebuttal. While VBAC bans may encourage some moms to go the homebirth route, I am afraid that most moms will only hear that VBACs are dangerous and stop there. If the OBs were more supportive of VBACs than more moms would choose them, or at least know it was an option. I think most moms hear their OB say it isn’t an option and then think it really isn’t.

By: Angela

Angela — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:59:17 +0000

If only I could see the person who wrote this letter. I’m sure the visual of loads of crap oozing out of his ears would be a sight to see!

And, amazingly, this is not a form letter!! I am beyond shocked.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:22:40 +0000

I think as consumers go we have a RIGHT to know at least which hospital this is so we can avoid it!

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:50:51 +0000

“are arguably safer than vaginal delivery, and although retained neonatal lung fluid is a very real increased morbidity to the newborns, it carries no long term sequelae in the absence of prematurity, and is more than compensated for by the benefits”
In response to this comment, he completely ignores the BENEFIT to mothers and babies by being able to be together and breastfeed! Yes bottlefeeding (or tubefeeding) pumped breastmilk is better than formula, he is saying it is ok to submit babies and moms to risks of not breastfeeding by having babies in NICU’s while moms are stuck in post op beds. Not only that but there is research that shows that the cs baby’s gut is absent the same good bacteria of vb babies that prevent illness for the first 6 months of life. Thats just from having a cs, add to that the practice of gastric suctioning to try to releive the baby of the retained fluid and diminish respiratory distress and you have a baby even more susceptible. Although so many things in the letter provoked a blood boiling response in me, the retained fetal fluid and time in the NICU separated from family being an acceptable risk compared to UR and whatever other benefits to baby he sees in RCS vs VBAC put me over the edge.

By: labortrials

labortrials — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:47:43 +0000

Wow! Thanks for sharing this and providing your critique. I imagine that any number of women could read the OB’s letter and determine that it made sense (some or all of it). But you deconstructed the letter and interpreted it from a mother/baby-friendly perspective.