Attorneys looking for VBAC ban victims
This was emailed out on the ICAN list:
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Dear Friends,
As you are likely aware, many women are denied access to VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) because of hospital policies and outright bans. Attorneys with the Northwest Women’s Law Center in Seattle are looking at this issue.
It requires that the woman is planning a hospital birth, in a hospital that bans VBAC, because she has no other options (not feeling comfortable with a homebirth is an acceptable reason to not have a homebirth for this purpose, so it doesn’t have to be in an area where there are also no midwives available). The reason for not having options can be geographic (no close hospitals to go to) or something like restrictions placed on her because of insurance or lack of insurance. But she definitely has to be planning a hospital birth.
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I’m a lawyer with the Northwest Women’s Law Center in Seattle. I’m investigating possible legal responses to bans on vaginal birth after cesarean at hospitals in the northwest states Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon. If you are currently pregnant and want to have a VBAC, but are facing a hospital policy that would require you to have a c-section regardless of whether you want it and regardless of whether it is actually medically necessary, and you are willing to consider working with a lawyer on this, we’d like to talk with you. Please respond to
vbacbanhelp at ican-online dot org.
Even if you are not in one of the states listed, you can still help by emailing this out to any email lists you are on and asking everyone who receives it to email it to all the lists THEY are on as well so that it is distributed far and wide. Thanks.
Sincerely,
Susan Hodges, “gatekeeper”
I linked to this post on my site – working with you to get the word out! Thanks for your efforts on behalf of VBAC moms!
I am currently pregnant with my third child and desperately want to have a VBAC. It’s like pulling teeth to get someone to even talk about it. My doctor says he doesn’t have a problem doing it but the Mercy Hospital in Roseburg Oregon won’t allow it. If you can help the women in this area that really would love to have a VBAC I would greatly appreciate it! Brandi
Brandi, I’m so sorry you are going through this. Please contact vbacbanhelp at ican-online dot org for assistance. Please keep me posted on what happens. Best, Jen
It’s great that something is being done about this! Even in an area that has VBAC-friendly hospitals, it’s not always easy to find a doctor that will allow it. I think that it’s important for pregnant women to be aware of their rights and fight for them. I would also like to see something done regarding a woman’s right to a VBAC waterbirth. It’s done in home births regularly, but hospitals will not allow me to give birth in water, just because I’ve had a previous c-section (it is available, but not to VBAC moms). To my knowledge, Washington state medicaid will not cover my child’s birth if I give birth in a birth center vs. a hospital – and I don’t want to be forced into giving birth on my back in a hospital bed!
None of the hospitals near me will perform VBACs, I have to drive 45 min to the closest hospital that will. In 2007 I had a sucessfull VBAC with my son in a hospital with midwives. The policy has since changed to where I have to see an OB/Gyn and follow their VBAC rules, i.e. an IV, continuous monitoring, and a possible epidural that I do not want. It has also become illegal for me to give birth in a birth center. I am angry that my choices for a natural birth have been limited so greatly. I can also not find a midwife who will do a homebirth because no doctor will back them up. They are also not covered under my insurance. I am very frustrated, if you can help that would be great.
I just moved to an area(Winston/Roseburg Oregon) that has banned VBAC hospital births. All of my five children were born vaginally without complications but before the birth of our youngest son, a VBAC delivery in a hospital with no complications, I carried for friends and had a cesarean delivery. So far no options other than cesarean section have been offered to me other than trying to make it all the way to Eugene, Oregon for the birth of our baby next month. My labors are so quick that this is far from realistic!
I had the preferred incision and suturing for a future VBAC with my cesarean as it was always my intention to give birth naturally in the future. If I could find anyone willing to attend my birth locally without forcing me to undergo surgery I would be grateful!
I feel very bullied by hospital policies that ban a pregnant woman’s choice in such a personal matter and would be happy to help pave the way for other women who do not feel they have a choice in the future!
I can’t help but wonder if the hospital’s “policy” has more to do with money for them than the safety of their patients!
Robin,
I highly recommend you read about the new ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 115 as well as my latest article about VBAC in rural hospitals. Hopefully hospitals will be reversing their VBAC bans as a result of ACOG’s new recommendations.
Warmly,
Jen