Posted on 05/11/2006 8:04:58 AM PDT by Theophilus
Edited on 05/11/2006 8:11:58 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Late to the party, BUT.....Hildy's NOT a troll.
She and I disagree on this issue, she and I totally agree on others...she's a very nice lady.
Anybody know what got Full Court banned?
Do you buy your apples of discord at the farmer's market, or in the produce section at the Super Wal-Mart?
There is no such thing from Hildy, in my experience. This question is especially suspect, since not even she could be dumb enough to not already know the answer.
My God...why was he your OB?
No offense, but I'd get a midwife, drive 100 miles to a different OB, see a trained chimp, anything before letting an abortionist watch over my wife's pregnancy.
As the father of 7, my wife and I have faced similar situations with every pregancy. Most recently because of my wif'es age we were asked if we wanted to test for certain disabilities or diseases. Of course if the only thing that would happen is that you either kill the baby or spend the rest of the pregnancy on pins and needles then, in my view, the test is just stupid.
But the joy of sonograms far outwieghs any concerns about facing any pressure from the doctor later on if some serious condition seems to make itself apparent. Some things found on songorams CAN be treated. For those that can't, sinmply be firm with the doctor and his staff (when they pressure for more tests that would likely result in advice to abort) that you have firm beliefs and that there is nothing left to discuss on that matter. If they persist and simply arer rude about it, ask them for the contact information for the state medical board and the professional societies to which they belong, for the staff's credentials, and their patient complaint history. That should shut them up.
Having gone through a lot of silliness regarding this and similar topics, it is my advice to all truly Catholic parents (and those with similar views) that during the very first visit and on subsequent visits you tell the doctor and his staff that you are committed to certain moral views and will consider any attempts to dissuade you from those views as harassment and malpractice by the medical staff or doctor. Ask that this be noted in your medical records. Make it known that abortion will not ever be an option, even if the mom's life is at risk. Make it known that birth control is not ever an option and that you expect that to be noted on your chart and to never be asked about it again. Make it known that you are in charge of your medical care and that you expect the staff to respect that fact.
He wasn't MY OB. He was my wife's OB.
I don't have an OB
When I was expecting my fourth child, I had an alpha fetal protein test that came back positive with a high reading. I was 20 weeks along. I had an ultrasound test which revealed that the baby had a large cyst on the back of her head. The perinatologist told my husband and I where I could get an abortion but we said "no" to that. He did not know what the cyst was or what the child's prognosis would be. He could not offer us any assurances at all.
We were devastated by the news. The months that followed were filled with more ultrasounds and tests, including an amniocentisis that came back negative. They were also filled with sadness and tears. I had 3 little boys to take care of and it was hard to carry on. However, because everyone knew ahead of time that the baby had problems and that she could not be delivered normally, lest the cyst be ruptured, the doctors were prepared. My daughter was delivered by Caesarian section two weeks early. She was 3 pounds, 2 ounces. She had a neural tube defect called an encephalocele, which is related to spina bifida but higher up the spinal cord, and hydrocephalous, and agenensis of the corpus callosum. She also had a serious heart defect.
She had several surgeries over the course of the next few years, including brain surgeries and open heart surgery. She also had two brain infections. My daughter is now 17 years old. Although she is not mentally retarded, she is developmentally delayed.
But at least she is alive and she enjoys life as much as anyone else. And if we hadn't known before she was born that she had problems, the doctors would not have been able to prepare medically for her birth and we would have been much less ready psychologically for what happened.
I think your wife should have the second ultrasound. If the results are inconclusive, there probably isn't anything to worry about. She probably shouldn't get the amniocentisis, though, unless the ultrasound clearly shows some problem with the baby because the amnio is risky. Your baby will probably be fine. But if he or she isn't healthy, it is better to know ahead of time.
We are currently pregnant.
World's Greatest Wife is in her late thirties, and so naturally our OBGYN ("Dr. Uterus") sent us to genetic counseling. They suggested an amnio. We flat-out told them "no". They pointed out the risk of Down's. We told them 'no" again, adding in so many words that even if our baby was born with a scaly, lizardlike tail we would love it. They relented and we proceeded to the sonogram. (Our son is fine — no markers for Down's, perfect formation, active, and nominal in all respects, "thank God".)
So much of modern medicine is legal ass-covering on the part of the physician. I don't blame them, of course — the risk of legal exposure is just too great — but if you want to know why meical care costs are skyrocketing, legal ass-covering is a good place to start.
As far as amnio goes: when you flat-out tell your doctor that abortion is not an option no matter what, it greatly simplifies things. Each one of WGW's pre-natal care providers has expressed relief and gratitude when we've told them that. I believe a good many MDs are deeply troubled by abortion, and taking the "choice" of murdering a baby off the table is probably a tremendous burden lifted for them.
We are at twenty weeks and all systems are go — but if something should arise (God forbid) with our baby, you can rest assured that we will ALWAYS come down on the side of life. As I told WGW at the very beginning, "I don't care if he has two heads. I will love any child that comes out of you." That's not me being heroic — that's the only position a Christian dare take.
We got the second ultrasound - it was negative and it gave my wife peace of mind.
If the Lord blesses us with a next time, I will recommend to my wife that we avoid ultrasounds altogether. I would make the same recommendation to anyone else unless they already have other risk factors (like steadfastconservative's: alpha fetal protein test).
Ultrasounds still have too much of a rorshach aspect to them, therefore: no routine ultrasound fishing expeditions, thank you!
What an adorable baby. And what a wonderful family you have there. How many children do you have?
A wonderful-looking group, I say.
I like picture three --- "I'm OK."
May God bless you and yours!
Theophilus,
Congratulations to you, your wife, and family!
I can't see pictures - just captions - on the website, but it sounds like she's a healthy, bouncing baby. :-)
I'd think a bad bedside manner is more to blame than an explanation of the risks.
Fantastic!
Congrats and cyberhugs to Norah!
Yes. And it's a good thing the same way the second amendment is a good thing. But remove the need to defend oneself, and you'd get better treatment and more honesty. I feel sorry for this guy in the article--he should probably start limiting his practice to Gyn.
Legally, the mother's desires and opinions will carry more weight. Technically speaking, the OB treats two patients--the mom and the baby. He is not the physician of record for the father.
Yah but, in my case, since my labor is being exchanged for hers(the physician's), I demand and will continue to demand that I be treated a little more like the customer.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.