Reasons given are that >if the moms or babes get in trouble the doctor has an open vein for prompt >intervention. Having almost bled to death following my second delivery, I was more than willing for the doctor to order an IV during labor with my third -- but it was the kind called a "heparin block" where the needle is inserted and taped down, but no fluids go in. It's there if you need it in a hurry (I'd have done much better with #2 if they could have gotten the blood transfusion going sooner), but doesn't require pumping extra fluids into mom when they aren't necessary. Why would a hospital routinely give women fluids during labor when the heparin block set-up provides the open vein? Just curious..... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D. email: [log in to unmask] Anthropology Department phone: (409) 845-5256 Texas A&M University fax: (409) 845-4070 College Station, TX 77843-4352