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volstork

(5,394 posts)
Wed May 22, 2019, 09:13 AM May 2019

OB/Gyn weighs in on anti-abortion laws

From Monday's NYT:

Dr. Gunter had a situation during her fellowship at the University of Kansas in which a woman faced renal failure and dialysis if she did not terminate her pregnancy. As the woman's physician, she was forced to call the hospital attorneys to she what she was "allowed" to do, not from a medical standpoint, but from a legal one, to avoid going to jail for providing appropriate, standard-of-care medical intervention.

"To reconcile our disagreement, the hospital’s attorneys felt the only course of action was to get the opinion of the legislator who wrote the law. An attorney set up a conference call with this man so that I could plead my patient’s case.

I began to explain the medical situation, how ill she was. He interrupted me after a few seconds: “Whatever you think is best, doctor.”

My patient got the abortion and her health improved as a result. But I was furious. How dare some legislator applaud this monstrous law in public all the while deferring to a doctor’s expertise in private."

Full article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/20/opinion/abortion-laws.html

I'm an OB/Gyn, and wouldn't presume to offer a legal opinion, to fly a plane, or to fix your transmission for that matter. Why have we come to the place in this country where people think it is acceptable to ask legislators (who often have no experience at ANYthing other than running for office) to be the arbitrators of medical care?

It is insanity.

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
OB/Gyn weighs in on anti-abortion laws (Original Post) volstork May 2019 OP
Jen Gunter is awesome... SidDithers May 2019 #1
Agree, she is a fierce advocate and hilarious PunkinPi May 2019 #10
Reproductive decisions should be left to the woman and doctor. Period. Kath2 May 2019 #2
Damn right Leith May 2019 #3
Yep, volstork May 2019 #11
Hey! That sounds a little too much like freedom! Wounded Bear May 2019 #6
That's what I've been saying. Legislators are Ilsa May 2019 #4
I'm sure that those dorks Mrs. Ted Nancy May 2019 #5
Dr. Gunter is the Xena of the OB/GYN world (and slayer of the Goop). demmiblue May 2019 #7
I especially enjoy volstork May 2019 #12
Actually, has the AMA said anything about this? B Stieg May 2019 #8
The AMA is very conservative volstork May 2019 #14
It is about time a doctor weighed in. PoindexterOglethorpe May 2019 #9
+1000 smirkymonkey May 2019 #13

Leith

(7,802 posts)
3. Damn right
Wed May 22, 2019, 09:27 AM
May 2019

In spite of all their moaning and groaning otherwise, rethugs sure do enjoy getting between women and their doctors.

Ilsa

(61,675 posts)
4. That's what I've been saying. Legislators are
Wed May 22, 2019, 09:33 AM
May 2019

Practicing medicine without a license. I think we should arrest and arraign them for it.

Mrs. Ted Nancy

(462 posts)
5. I'm sure that those dorks
Wed May 22, 2019, 09:40 AM
May 2019

in these legislatures did not consider that their respective states may LOSE ob/gyns.

The teaching hospitals could lose faculty and/or not be able to fill all of their slots for residents. Rural areas are having problems providing care as it is now.

This is so maddening.

B Stieg

(2,410 posts)
8. Actually, has the AMA said anything about this?
Wed May 22, 2019, 10:11 AM
May 2019

You'd think they'd have trouble with doctors being locked up for up to 99 years!

volstork

(5,394 posts)
14. The AMA is very conservative
Wed May 22, 2019, 01:53 PM
May 2019

(For example, they opposed Medicare and Medicaid back in the day), but ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) has been quite vocal and condemning about the issue.

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