I've been AWOL for a while, sorry! But all this talk about VBAC got my attention. Have you heard about the Time magazine article on repeat cesareans? The author, Pamela Paul, posted an essay on the Huffington Post the day after her Time article was published, to tell us some of the back story. They are both great discussions of the difficulty finding a doctor and hospital that will genuinely support a mother's choice for VBAC. Go, read them!
Also of interest is the ICAN hospital survey. Volunteers called virtually every hospital in the US to find out which ones allow VBACs, which ones ban them, and which ones say they allow, but no doctors will attend them ("de facto ban"). Logan Regional Hospital is listed as having a de facto ban, but there are at least 6 hospitals along the Wasatch front that allow VBACs.
I found of particular interest one of the comments left at the Huffington Post story, calling the right to VBAC a civil rights issue. Interesting point of view. Is it really about safety or money or are those handy excuses to deny a human right?
Thanks to Rixa for keeping current on all these things!
~s~
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OK, apparently I've become activist-minded, because as I was reading about VBACs I was thinking who I could write to that actually has the means to affect change here. It's not the hospitals or doctors, because they bow to the insurance. Perhaps writing to your insurance provider? Just a thought....
sally
I was surprised to see that Logan Regional was listed under the "de facto" ban list. I had a VBAC there in 2006 and my OB (Dr. McCulloch) and the nurses were all very supportive of it.
I'm glad they got the survey all done so I can see what hospitals here in SLC allow it.
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