Rochelle Allan, who is reluctant to be induced even though her baby is 12 days overdue, was told by the hospital they intended to go ahead with the procedure when she came in.
But after speaking to her midwife following a visit to the hospital the day before, and being assured her baby was fine, she decided not to attend the hospital the next day.
Now Ms Allan is furious after the two police officers arrived on her doorstep after they were called by Bathurst Hospital.
Wanting a home birth, Ms Allan, 24, has been under the care of a private midwife and had been attending the hospital daily to monitor the baby's health.
"I couldn't believe it when I saw the police officers at my door," Ms Allan said.
"They told me they had been asked by the hospital to check on my welfare because I had not attended.
"The hospital knew I did not want to be induced and they gave me no medical reason why I should be."
Today, the health authorities responsible for the police visit issued an apology. Emphasis mine.
The Greater Western Area Health Service today offered Ms Allan an apology for the unexpected police visit, saying they just wanted to check she was alright.The irony of this last statement is just about killing me.
"We are sorry if it ... caused her any distress but our intention was to check on her welfare," area health spokeswoman Sue-Anne Redmond told ABC Radio today.
The health service denied it was trying to pressure Ms Allan into being induced.
WOW. Would I be livid! That's a crazy story.
ReplyDeleteAlthough a bit extreme, as I've never heard of a hospital sending anyone to a patient's home, I guess I can understand that they could have been concerned for her. Even though she didn't want the induction, I'm sure that they just assumed she'd show up for her appointment, since she'd been coming in every day for check ups anyway... and when she didn't, they could have been worried for her health.
ReplyDeleteThat is just bizarre. Why couldn't they call her?!? I never showed up for my final appointment at the CNM practice I had concurrent care with, because it was on my due date and I'd given birth at home the previous day. About a week later, I got a phone call from them wondering what happened to me. I told them I'd had the baby. See? How easy is that! And no need to detain two police officers from doing their job!
ReplyDeletewhat a waste of police time! Why couldnt they have called her? This is just an instance of bullying, they were clearly trying to intimidate her into doing as they wanted.
ReplyDeleteI saw this one last week about a mom who refused bedrest at 25 weeks. http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/is-refusing-bed-rest-a-crime/
ReplyDeleteOh, I also thought (if you hadn't seen this yet) you'd be interested in http://mormonsoprano.com/2010/01/13/miracle-birth-at-the-tonga-temple/
Baby born at the Tonga temple!
Oh. I was logged into my husband's blogger account... "McKay" was me. Oops!
ReplyDeleteKristina said: Although a bit extreme, as I've never heard of a hospital sending anyone to a patient's home...
ReplyDeleteAllow me to introduce you to Laura Pemberton, who was court ordered into a c-section in the USA.
There is a lot more to this story than meets the eye. There is a HUGE political bunfight going on over here in Australia about the expansion of maternity care options. The Government is trying to expand the role of midwifery care in hospitals but in the interaction of that legislation and another piece of legistlation related to registration of health professionals, has actually caused a real threat of midwife attended homebirth becoming illegal in two years time.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the doctors are up in arms at the expanded role for nurse practioners in all astpects of health care and midwives in maternity care. They have managed to twist the public debate to a point to scare people and are upping the pressur on homebirthing women. There has just been a (flawed) study on homebirth in South Australia released and that is all over the news.
Until now, I had never heard of such coercion. I thought only in the USA did that kind of thing happen.
Sad.
If they were really concerned, a phone call would have sufficed. Really, how many non-maternity patients get a police visit when the miss an appointment? I am sure sending the police was definitely intended to pressure her.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! I have jokingly said to doula clients so many times, "what will they do (if you don't show up for the induction)send the preganacy police to get you?" I'll never say that again!
ReplyDelete"And now, the rest of the story..."
ReplyDeleteApparently, the hospital was worried about the woman because she didn't show up and didn't answer repeated telephone calls. Perhaps if she or the midwife had told the hospital that she decided against the induction, this could have been avoided.
-Kathy
She had made her wishes abundtly clear and known before that day and yet the hospital had told her that they would be inducing. She had already told them she did not want an induction.
ReplyDeleteThe hospital bullied her.
She had made her wishes abundtly clear and known before that day and yet the hospital had told her that they would be inducing. She had already told them she did not want an induction.
ReplyDeleteThe hospital bullied her.
Ah, so she told them she didn't want an induction, and they scheduled it anyway? Hmmm... wouldn't take "no" for an answer, I guess.
ReplyDelete-Kathy