HI All,
Jay Simpson, CLE from Sacramento, Ca, here.  Haven't been on for a while,
but have just gotten back to lurking and have some interest in this topic.

Kathy writes (in response to Jay Gordon, IBCLC!!):

>Is it medical malpractice if the doctor goes along with the mother's
>frivolous request, or is it only medical malpractice if the induction is
>forced on the mother for the doctor's convenience?

My personal opinion is:  It is medical negligence.  A Dr has the
responsibility of informing the mother that induction for convenience is a
medical risk, uneccessary and has several risks, both to her and the baby.

Having experienced first-hand the induction (speed up that labor!) of my 2nd
pregnancy - because my water had been broken for a whopping 7 hours, my
labor was not progessing fast enough (maybe 'cause I was forced to lie down
rather than allowed to walk like I wanted) - I found out from a nurse that
my Dr was going off shift soon and wanted to be the one to deliver my baby
(since my HMO OB's rarely get to deliver their own patients - only if they
happen to be on-call when their patient goes into labor and she delivers
before they leave).  They were all so excited for him!  Well, he did deliver
my baby - and I was one unhappy camper when I realized (a few months later)
just how uncool that was...

So, social inductions whether by the mother's request or the Medical
establishment's needs for set staff schedules - well, they are a travesty of
convenience and ignorance -
And who is it who suffers?  The mom and mostly the baby...

Jay
Glad to be back...

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