Dear Ms. Goer,

I am having my first baby in China and they do things very differently here. Their medical training is very out dated and they don't seem to be able to comprehend informed concent, and deffinatley not informed refusal.

Today my doctor wanted to do a No Stress Test on the baby. I'm 27 weeks. I don't really feel that it is nessisary as the baby is very healthy and active. She insisted that after 36 weeks I needed a no stress test every week till the baby was born. When I refused today she said I was a bad patient and that I had to do it next time. I'm wondering if I should let them do just one so they leave me alone. I don't intend to let them do 3 or 4 that's for sure.

ALSO, she wants to take another blood test. I asked what for and she said to check my blood type and my liver and kidney function. I reminded her that we have already taking two blood tests and tested those things. she said said that they (the liver and kidney fuction) can change towards the end of the pregnancy and if I don't take the tests now I have to take them when I come in for the birthing.

I haven't even read anything about ANOTHER blood test. Is this standard (or maybe it was in the past?) is it true that these things can change? I'm not against the needles to having a blood test. but I am agains needless tests that just rack up the medical bills.

Again I am contemplating just letting them do it to avoid drama at the birthing but I'm so tired of them bossing me around and telling me nothing as if they own my body and I have no say.

Thank you so much for you kind and informed advice. I take you book with me to every doctor's visit and I'm thinking about giving a copy to my doctor.

Thank you again.

Michelle

PS. I am a low risk pregnancy.

You are in a difficult situation because, as you already know, your care providers are not practicing care that is based on the research evidence, and their reaction to your resisting them doing what you know to be incorrect is to accuse you of being a "bad patient." I think I know why they think this way: they believe that all this testing and technology is the best way to ensure a healthy baby in a population where almost all women are only going to have one child. Unfortunately, they are wrong, and if you go along with their plans, you are likely to end up with a cesarean surgery or other medical intervention that you did not truly need. Any intervention can do harm as well as good and having it when you don't need it exposes you and your baby to those harms with no counterbalancing benefit, and, in the case of cesarean surgery, any future children. You may also end up psychologically distressed about the birth, which will seriously harm you and make it more difficult to cope with the challenges of becoming a mother.

It doesn't sound as if your care providers are open to working with you. That being the case, only thing I can do is advise you is to search the internet to see if you have any alternatives to the treatment you are now getting. Are there any midwives or doctors who specialize in natural birth? Are there home birth practitioners? If you were not in China, I would have some ideas on where to suggest that you  look, but I don't know anything about China. I apologize for that. This probably confirms what you already know but here are the practices that promote safe, healthy birth.  

-- Henci