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Henci GoerFind out what other moms-to-be are asking.  Join in the discussion with Henci Goer, an expert in obstetric research. If you would like to contact Henci outside of the Ask Henci forum, send an email to Goersitemail@aol.com.

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Reply To Topic Topic: Blood tests and No Stress Tests at 37/38 weeks
:
Posted By Henci Goer, BA on 04 Oct 2009 04:34 PM

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  

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