# This ticks me off! (article)... someone please respond!



## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

Local doctor's license suspended for TOO MANY vaginal births!

She seems really knowledgeable too.

http://www.adn.com/life/health/story...-6614490c.html

Someone who knows alot about this topic, please write a letter to the editor, I would just not do it justice, I know.


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## Boobs (Apr 17, 2004)

I don't even know what to say to that.
That's like taking away a teacher's license because too many of the students are graduating. Makes absolutely no sense.


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

Please cross-post this in Activism!

How awful for her!


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## mermommy (Aug 16, 2004)

another link

This one suggests that it is due to her pro choice leanings ?

Did any of the patients file reports? was anyone actually injured?

I'm looking for more info but most of the articles just say her license has been taken.


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## chersolly (Aug 29, 2004)

How dare she deliver babies vaginally! The nerve. :LOL


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## wednesday (Apr 26, 2004)

Something similar happened a while back to a female OB in Wilmington, NC a while back--if I recall correctly she had her practicing privileges at a hospital revoked for not doing enough c-sections.


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## CanOBeans (Apr 7, 2002)

The International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) is tracking this story and the state chapter, ICAN of Alaska, is working on a response. You can find several articles about this story at ICAN of Alaska's website. If you are in AK and would like more info about the chapter, contact chapter leader Laura Maples at E-mail: [email protected], Telephone: 907-260-6749.


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## eightyferrettoes (May 22, 2005)

How weird!!!

I mean, if no babies or moms have been injured, she's obviously figured out something that the other docs haven't. I'm in AK, but never had a c-sec, and I'm no birthing expert, either.


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## Raven (Dec 15, 2001)

Now I've heard it all...







:


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## Camellia (Jun 2, 2004)

That makes absolutely no sense. Sooo..... babies are being born the way a woman's body is designed to deliver them...and that is a problem, why?? WTF??


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## ShadowMom (Jun 25, 2004)

From what I've read, there doesn't seem to be enough information given to make a call on this.

If there were some key deliveries where she SHOULD have done a cesarian, and didn't, that would be the main factor.

I doubt they suspended her license just because her c-section rate is too low - they probably reviewed some specific cases where they felt she should have performed a c-section.

I don't know we have enough information to judge without knowing what they based their decision on.


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## littleaugustbaby (Jun 27, 2003)

OH MY GOD!

Dr. Murphy was my OB!

She is an amazing, amazing woman. I was so truly lucky to have her as my OB. I am sitting here in tears right now because she changed my life so much, and I can't believe this. I've often said that if I ever became pregnant again, I'd want to move back to Anchorage, because I know that I'd never find an OB or midwife as supportive and knowledgeable as Dr. Murphy. I'm in shock.

On my first prenatal visit, I asked Dr. Murphy about pain relief options during childbirth. I told her that I knew that I wanted an epidural. She told me that I wouldn't need one, and that there were much better ways than drugs to manage pain, and that by the time I was ready to give birth, I would be strong and empowered.

During the 9 or so months of my pregnancy, she was the most amazing support in the world. My SIL (who lived out of state) was also pregnant at the time, and every time I'd go in, Dr. Murphy would ask me how my SIL was doing. I remember one conversation where I said that my SIL was wanting to have a VBAC, but she didn't know if her OB would let her, and Dr. M told me that it was really frustrating because a lot of women can have VBACs, but most doctors don't allow it.

When I was in labor, she was an amazing help. The nurses at the hospital were awful. They kept saying that I wasn't progressing fast enough and that I needed pitocin. They kept calling Dr. Murphy, who got on the phone with me and asked if the nurses were bothering me. She told me not to worry, that she wasn't going to let me get pitocin, and then she got back on the phone with the nurses and told them to leave me alone, that I was *her* patient, and that she would make the call about pitocin, and that if they continued to harass me, they would be in trouble. The nurses didn't bother me again. Oh, and as far as not progressing fast enough, my water broke at about 3:30pm, contractions got heavy about an hour later, and I was fully dialated and having urges to push by 9:30pm. If 6 and a half hours isn't fast enough for those nurses, then that really scares me. Dr. Murphy was an excellent support person when I was laboring. At one point, I begged for an epidural, and she gently talked me out of it, and told me that I was strong, and that I could do it. She encouraged me to go labor in the jacuzzi tub for a bit, and said that if I wanted an epidural after that, she'd call the anesthesiologist (sp?) herself. Her distraction worked, and I never did get that epidural.

Dr. Murphy came to the hospital every day to see me, to hold DD, and she always made sure to spend a few minutes to chat. She helped me with DD's BF issues, referred me to a wonderful AP friendly pediatrician, and when my BF relationship with DD failed, she hugged me and told me that it was ok, and that she was proud of me for trying, and that with the next one, I'd be ready for any hurdles.

She has BF posters all over her office. There's even a picture of Dr. Murphy herself nursing her own baby at some kind of conference or meeting, with a caption that says "If I can do it, you can too!". Her staff is also amazing.

I am so, so lucky that Dr. Murphy came into my life. She really taught me about what it means to be empowered with your birth choices. She started me on the path to AP. She is truly one of the most brilliant, amazing people that I have ever met.

Mermommy, I didn't read your link yet, but the first thought that came to mind was that they were targetting her for her pro-choice stance. She's very active and vocal in the community. I really would not be surprised if she is being targetted because of this.

I will write letters, make phonecalls, and do whatever I can to help fight this. It's the least I can do for Dr. Murphy after all of the wonderful things that she's done for me and my DD.


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## AntoninBeGonin (Jun 24, 2005)

About the doc in NC: I read about this earlier. Found the doctor's address on whitepages.com and sent her an encouraging letter.

It's sad, how birth is treated in this country. Almost as though we mother's were pots of gold waiting to be gained by the hospitals...

~Nay















: my little booby bandito, Antonin

I love my super supportive DH


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## elvispupy (May 21, 2004)

X-posted from Alaska list:

Ok, Here's the contact information I have for the medical board from the state website to conact with your concerns:

Executive Administrator
Leslie A. Gallant
550 West Seventh Avenue Suite 1500
Anchorage AK 99501-3567
Phone: 907/269-8163
Fax: 907/269-8196
E-mail: [email protected]

To write individual board members: Alaska Medical Board Roster

One of the reporters I was in contact with gave me a phone number for the board, it's in an email on my other computer, I'll post it later if it's different than the one above. She also mentioned that the hearings were open to the public so if someone in anchorage wanted to go they could. If you are a patient of hers you might try contacting the board about testifying on her behalf, they might let you do it over the phone if you are no longer in the area.

Beyond that, letters to the editor to the newspapers and tv stations running the stories are good. I'll keep you posted on anything else I find out.


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## littleaugustbaby (Jun 27, 2003)

Thanks, Laura. Looks like I'm going to be making some calls today.


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

It was on the news last night too, and the Dr. was quoted as saying that the hospitals make more money for cesereans, and it is a quicker procedure...

So I guess that is the reason the AK regional hospital doesn't like her... the patients are in the birthing rooms longer, and they don't get as much money...

Maybe???


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## littleaugustbaby (Jun 27, 2003)

Alaskanteach - I think it's a combination of that and her pro-choice leanings.

I had my DD at AK Regional, and didn't like them at all. The nurses were very invasive, and kept insisting that I needed pitocin because I wasn't progressing fast enough. From the time I entered the hospital and my water broke to the time that I delivered, it was no more than 7 hours! I didn't need pitocin, and if the nurses had gotten their way, who knows what would have happened? If it weren't for Dr. Murphy, they would have given me pitocin, she's the one who stepped in and said no on the pitocin. The nurses were very annoyed with her decision and didn't have any problem letting me know.


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## natashaccat (Apr 4, 2003)




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## member234098 (Aug 3, 2002)

Many male OBs are vocal about abortion and do plenty of VBACs.

I wonder if:

1. Being a woman,
2. Being successful,
3. Going against the current,
4. All of the above.

...got her into trouble.


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## Bella'smamma (Jun 24, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *miriam*
Many male OBs are vocal about abortion and do plenty of VBACs.

I wonder if:

1. Being a woman,
2. Being successful,
3. Going against the current,
4. All of the above.

...got her into trouble.

She might encourage women to start asking QUESTIONS about their birth choices! That would be the ruin of the medicalized birth....at $30,000 per c/s I can understand why the would want her to keep her "quota" up.

And yes, birth in the hospital does require alot of time and resources...That's why we shouldn't be delivering babies in a place where they are caring for the sick and dying! ICK! (no offense) but birth doesn't belong in the hospital!
Birth doesn't belong to anyone but the birthing mother, the baby and their assistants It's our power, our birthing power, and they are taking it away.

It's our sacred right of passage into womanhood...with out the euphoric, out-of-body experience of natural childbirth we can't truely know what our bodies were designed to do...

what gives them the right....







:

I applaud this woman's efforts. She is playing a very important part in history. Her actions and this case will start to expose this gross injustice. Hopefully then can we start to reverse some of the brainwashing.

Cecily

Cecily


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## ericswifey27 (Feb 12, 2005)

It sounds like we could all use more doctors like her. I got steamrolled by the nurses where I delivered my son... I had a birth plan that was completely disregarded. I said I did NOT want pitocin but they gave it to me anyway. They gave it to me when I was a 3...and guess what- I then stayed at a 3 the whole entire time until finally after 22 hours of labor they said I was in danger of getting an infection, and so I had a c-section. I think the Pitocin actually stopped me from dilating any further- has that happened to anyone else?

Even though DS was a 9 on the Apgar, they whisked him away without me even touching him. I begged to nurse him immediately or even hold him and they said it was dangerous as I was still medicated, and they needed to give him a medical checkup. They took him away and cleaned him, put that crappy stuff in his eyes, took his foot print, warmed him up, changed his diaper, etc. etc. and then brought him over to me but then took him right back and I didn't even get to hold him until atleast 2 hours later







: My body could have warmed my little boy and made him feel safe and secure, not some stupid warming machine. Atleast DH got to hold him almost immediately... I agree with the empowerment comment. If I had had a doctor like Dr. Murphy by my side, I would have had the confidence to stick to my guns about what I wanted. And with the second one, when the doctors say no, I am just going to keep saying yes until someone listens. Why does a baby need eye drops being put in his eyes "to protect from gonherrea" when 1) I don't have gonherrea and 2) the baby didn't even go through the birth canal anyway. Sigh.


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## Kleine Hexe (Dec 2, 2001)

A female OB that was working in DC was investigated by her peers and told she needed to raise her c-section rate because she was making the other OB look bad. She moved out of state so she wouldn't be threatened by the hospital and peers anymore.

Ladies, if this stuff shocks you or you think these things don't happen think again. OBs fight mean and dirty to keep women scared and naive. Here's food for thought. The only department of a hospital that actually *makes* money is the maternity department. It's all about profit over people.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)




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## fourgrtkidos (Jan 6, 2004)

Kleine Hexa, you are a smart woman! We/our generation really needs to stand up and speak out about this. I am meeting women daily who think epidurals and c-sections are the norm and a saving grace. We need to educate our peers and young people that childbirth is not something we need rescueing from!!!


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## AmyB (Nov 21, 2001)

This ticks me off too, but I think that it's extremely important for us all to recognize how many attacks on normal birth are founded in anti-abortion rhetoric that values the life of a fetus over the life of its mother.

It's worth considering one comment by the attorney

Quote:

"People say you care about the mother to the disregard of the fetus," Stockler said.
Anybody who would actually say this must believe the opposite, i.e. that the OB should take care care of the fetus to the disregard of the mother.

--AmyB


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

:


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## TheaGraham (May 22, 2004)

Quote:

The only department of a hospital that actually *makes* money is the maternity department. It's all about profit over people.
Just pennies in the bucket compared to cardiac patients. Labor and delivery brings in loyal patients ("I was born there, so that's where I'll have my appendix taken out...and then my quadruple bypass.").

I really think this case is more about stripping women of birth freedoms. Ya know, we can't have all these women running around expecting to give birth the only way it was done for millions of years.







:


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## Bella'smamma (Jun 24, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TheaGraham*
Just pennies in the bucket compared to cardiac patients. Labor and delivery brings in loyal patients ("I was born there, so that's where I'll have my appendix taken out...and then my quadruple bypass.").

I really think this case is more about stripping women of birth freedoms. Ya know, we can't have all these women running around expecting to give birth the only way it was done for millions of years.







:


WORD!


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## littleaugustbaby (Jun 27, 2003)

Ericswifey - It sounds like your son's birth was rough.









The nurses did the same thing to me, they kept trying to force pitocin on me. Dr. Murphy stepped in on my behalf and rescued me from them.

She also handed me my baby as soon as she was born, and she was the one who picked up my camera and started snapping pictures while I was holding DD. The very first photos of my daughter were taken by Dr. Murphy.


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## Thursday Girl (Mar 26, 2004)

my first reaction is shock and anger. I do however want to look further into it before I make a real desicion on the matter. Like was anyone actually hurt??Did any one complain? she sounds like a great woman by little august baby
's account and I definetley agree that women should have natural births and the c-section and interference in labor is way to much and uncalled for

Courtney


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## elvispupy (May 21, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jewelysmommy*
my first reaction is shock and anger. I do however want to look further into it before I make a real desicion on the matter. Like was anyone actually hurt??Did any one complain? she sounds like a great woman by little august baby
's account and I definetley agree that women should have natural births and the c-section and interference in labor is way to much and uncalled for


I have a list of all the news articles I could find on the subject, you can see them here ICAN of Alaska and it seems there were no maternal or infant deaths or disability (although there was a mention of a uterine rupture and hysterectomy, but a hysterectomy is a risk of UR, and not necessarily the result of malpractice or negligence, and if she's doing a lot of VBACs, she's bound to run into a UR once in a while, they do occur about 0.5% of spontaneous labors in women with a previous cesarean and 0.2% of the time before labor even.) Apparently all the patients in the 10 cases being reviewed are still her patients and only the hospital filed a complaint because they _thought_ she posed a threat. I talked with a doula who is an aquaintence of hers and she assured me that this doctor practices like a midwife (not a MEDwife).


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## koofie (Sep 23, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ericswifey27*
I think the Pitocin actually stopped me from dilating any further- has that happened to anyone else?

I had an emergency induction requested by my midwife bc dd's amniotic fluid was almost gone. I was so disappointed. I was given pitocin an dilated to 4, and stalled for several hours with ctx on top of one another. I was finally convinced to get the epidural bc the midwife said that I might be so tense that I was working against the ctx. I gave birth just over an hour later. i personally feel the pitocin is forcing your body to do something it is not ready to do, and can stall the birth bc it is not done naturally. I would never have agreed to it except dd's life was in danger, and I hope I never have to use it again. Needless to say, that was not the waterbirth I had planned.


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## mirthfulmum (Mar 3, 2003)

This story just breaks my heart. I keep thinking about all those poor little babies being forced into the nursery and fed formula while their mothers recover from their unnecessary C-section.

I truly hope that Dr. Murphy is vindicated and these events bring about more questioning by women of the whole OB practice.


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## Thursday Girl (Mar 26, 2004)

that is insane that all those patients are still with her yet her licsence was revoked. That pisses me off and scares me. what will birth come to?

I might just hide in a closet and deliver!!!


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## moistangel (Apr 30, 2005)

This is just insane!

How can anyone do that without any evidence supporting that she has done some wrong?!


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## koofie (Sep 23, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jewelysmommy*
I might just hide in a closet and deliver!!!

ROTFLMAO!!!


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## kalisis (Jan 10, 2005)

So, the best thing to do to help Dr. Murphy out is to write a letter to this address on ICAN's website and then to the newspapers? If there's anything else we can do, I mean, I don't know, rally some troops or something, we could probably get it done. I just hate that she's being punished for such an amazing stance and commitment to positive birth experiences.


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## gentlebirthmothr (Jul 13, 2005)

WOW this can happen now. Whats happening to the world now, in general. I'm still so confused on this even after reading all the posts and the links as well. Thank you.


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## Crystal_clear (Jan 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nursing Mother*
I have heard of Dr. Murphy when she delivered at ANS in Anchorage. Most of my Alaskan Native friends delivered at ANS and we (who could not deliver there) were always stunned by their low C-section rate. When I did research on the 3 hospitals in Anchorage in l986 I was aware of that and often talked with my friends about it (I eventually choose a homebirth).

One other really big reason that they have a low c/s rate is that the docs are salaried and doing 12-hour shifts (the hospital is part of IHS with many federal employees and Commissioned Corp officers). So it's no big deal for them to labor-sit because they aren't going anywhere anyways! They don't have to keep their nights as short as possible in order to keep their day schedules packed with patients to pay their insurance premiums & other overhead.

Still, after having worked in that hospital myself, I would not want to birth there. I spent too many shifts in the blood bank crossmatching units for moms bleeding out from docs yanking on cords and such. It's scary how you know what's going to happen on a given unit simply by finding out who's on duty. ugh Not to mention that I spent time doing quality assurance and am well-versed in the rampant incompetence & apathy there.

I believe it's Alaska Regional that used to be Humana. Then they were part of that chain that was found guilty in a huge national lawsuit. The name escapes me (edit: I think it's Columbia). Later that part of the name was removed, but I don't know if they are still part of that system.

Homebirth is definitely alive and well. Unfortunately, DEMs can't attend VBACs and a litany of other "high-risk" moms, so OB's like Dr. Murphy are very much needed until that is changed.


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## gentlebirthmothr (Jul 13, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Bella'smamma*
She might encourage women to start asking QUESTIONS about their birth choices! That would be the ruin of the medicalized birth....at $30,000 per c/s I can understand why the would want her to keep her "quota" up.

And yes, birth in the hospital does require alot of time and resources...That's why we shouldn't be delivering babies in a place where they are caring for the sick and dying! ICK! (no offense) but birth doesn't belong in the hospital!
Birth doesn't belong to anyone but the birthing mother, the baby and their assistants It's our power, our birthing power, and they are taking it away.

It's our sacred right of passage into womanhood...with out the euphoric, out-of-body experience of natural childbirth we can't truely know what our bodies were designed to do...

what gives them the right....







:

I applaud this woman's efforts. She is playing a very important part in history. Her actions and this case will start to expose this gross injustice. Hopefully then can we start to reverse some of the brainwashing.

Cecily

Cecily


Everyone Else,

WOW about Dr. Murphy and what they are doing to her and to this profession, whats happening in this world today, besides this as well.

Cecily,

Sorta agree with what you said about this. Would choose the hospital alterative birth center birth then home or indepent birth center or hospital regular birth center because I feel more comforable in the hospital then out of it. Hopefully my doctor will be a another woman, as like Dr. Murphy is.

Thank you.


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## littleaugustbaby (Jun 27, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nursing Mother*
I hope the home birth movement is alive and well in Alaska. It was just starting when I lived there in the early and mid 80's.

When I was pregnant with DD in 2003, I was a member of a couple of local email lists for AP mamas in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley. Many of them were homebirthing mamas. The ones who weren't used the birth center. I would say that natural birth/homebirth are much more common up there than in most places.

Heck, I had DD at AK Regional, and part of me is really surprised to see this happening. I took the hospital sponsored childbirth/baby care course, and the woman who ran it had something like 8 children (I believe at least some of them were born at home), the focus of the class was natural birth. She did gloss over epidurals for a few minutes because somebody asked, but she spent more time discussing the risks of epidurals than the benefits. She discussed natural ways to manage pain - laboring in the jacuzzi tub or shower, using different positions, massage, etc. She even taught everyone how to use cloth diapers during the baby care part, just in case any of us decided to use them. How many hospitals offer those kind of courses?

Quote:

You mama's who live there keep fighting for this women. I will send an e-mail in support of Dr. Murphy.
Thanks, NM.









Quote:

BTW.....Is Alaska Regional Hospital formally known as Humana Hospital...or Providence Hospital. Or is it a totally new hospital in Anchorage now? Does Humana H. still have their birth center? I taught CB classes there for several years?
It's not Providence. Prov is still there. As a matter of fact, they remodeled their L&D unit not too long ago. It's supposed to be very nice, and I've heard that their lactation support is wonderful. I also think that Prov has expanded a lot. You probably wouldn't recognize it now.

I don't know of a Humana up there, so it could be that Regional used to be Humana. I'm trying to think of a nearby landmark to give you an idea of the location, but a lot of the stuff nearby is so new that I'm sure it wasn't there when you lived there.

Do you know where the small airport is (not the main one, the smaller one that's closer to downtown Anchorage)? It's right near there, on DeBarr road. It's also a VA hospital, if I'm not mistaken.


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## ConfusionFusion (Apr 20, 2005)

Wow! What an amazing testimony littleAugust! thanks for posting! If I have an extra moment I will write to that medical board. This stuff just never ends in our backwards thinking society


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## natashaccat (Apr 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nursing Mother*

I hope the home birth movement is alive and well in Alaska. It was just starting when I lived there in the early and mid 80's.

Homebirth is definately an option for folks living in the Fairbanks area and I've heard that Anchorage, Juneau, and Sitka also have great CDMs but sadly I suspect that folks coming in from villages are really getting screwed. My village friends tell me that most of their prenatal care is by someone local and then they have to fly down to Anchorage to have their baby delivered by a ramdom OB or MedWife. Needless to say, induced labors are pretty common.

I have two village friends with babys close in age to my dds and neither had ever heard anything about the advantages of giving birth in a squatting position or knew anything about the dangers of induction drugs or epidurals. My heart just breaks because these women really don't have access to the same information the we internet geeks have. They really are at the mercy of their providers.


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## gentlebirthmothr (Jul 13, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *littleaugustbaby*
When I was pregnant with DD in 2003, I was a member of a couple of local email lists for AP mamas in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley. Many of them were homebirthing mamas. The ones who weren't used the birth center. I would say that natural birth/homebirth are much more common up there than in most places.

Heck, I had DD at AK Regional, and part of me is really surprised to see this happening. I took the hospital sponsored childbirth/baby care course, and the woman who ran it had something like 8 children (I believe at least some of them were born at home), the focus of the class was natural birth. She did gloss over epidurals for a few minutes because somebody asked, but she spent more time discussing the risks of epidurals than the benefits. She discussed natural ways to manage pain - laboring in the jacuzzi tub or shower, using different positions, massage, etc. She even taught everyone how to use cloth diapers during the baby care part, just in case any of us decided to use them. How many hospitals offer those kind of courses?

Stephanie,

WOW about woman who taught the class took. Hope shes still teaching. Want a woman like her to teach the class that I will take when I will have my baby.

Thank you.


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## elvispupy (May 21, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nursing Mother*
SOunds like things have changed at Alaska Native Hospital. The stories out of there used to be better then the stories coming from the mainstream hospitals, but alas I lived in Alaska from l960 to 1987......now that the homebirth/natural birth movement is stronger there ( apparently) sounds like the Village mama's might now be getting many options.


I don't know, maybe her friends were not native and not going to the native hospital, what I've heard from the Native hospital is pretty positive. I know they only have about a 10% cesarean rate and a 50% VBAC rate and that a cnm who used to run a freestanding birth center now works there. I have a doula friend who's hubby was working up there for a short time and he grilled them about the maternity services and it seemed very positive and natural birth oriented.


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## natashaccat (Apr 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elvispupy*
I don't know, maybe her friends were not native and not going to the native hospital, what I've heard from the Native hospital is pretty positive. I know they only have about a 10% cesarean rate and a 50% VBAC rate and that a cnm who used to run a freestanding birth center now works there. I have a doula friend who's hubby was working up there for a short time and he grilled them about the maternity services and it seemed very positive and natural birth oriented.

The three friends whose experiences I'm refering to are Native (from different villages) but perhaps their experiences were unusual for that hospital? There is about a 7 year span between these women's births so I would definately admit that these might just be unusual cases.

One of them had an easy birth but was severely sick her whole pg (in and out of hospital for dehydration) and was never told about any possible treatment options (zophran etc.) The second mama had her placenta yanked out. My third friend was recently induced with CYTOTEC (w/o any warnings about potential risks) by one of the midwives there and when her baby had shoulder dislocia (sp?) they broke his collar bone and pulled him out (vs gaskin manuever or having her move to squatting etc.)

I know this sort of thing is pretty typical hospital proceedure everywhere but that sort of thing doesn't seem exceptionally birth friendly to me.


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## diane1969 (Dec 10, 2003)

First off, I really can't comment on the article because I don't think all the facts are there.

I just wanted to say though that I worked at an health insurance company and for an ob/gyn health management company and it was all about keeping the c-section rate down. It was a constant battle between the docs and the health ins company - the insurance company not wanting to pay out more for c-sections and issuing protocols & guidelines for keeping the c/s rate down. The docs on the other hand are so scared of lawsuits they will jump at a c-section - and I don't think it helps that some moms WANT a c-section and talk their doctor into making up an issue that they need one!

The whole thing is just so twisted and complicated. Anyway though, my gut would tell me that the medical board is not doing this because of her political views or because she makes other doctors look bad, some ob's even get recognition in the hospital for having the lowest c/s rate.


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## dingogirl (Sep 9, 2002)

i remember hearing a mother say her doctor scheduled her for a c-section, not because it was necessary, but because the doc was going on vacation.

Ferengi docs.

Quote:

The Ferengi have a culture which is based entirely upon commerce. They follow a code of conduct known as "The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition." These rules ordain conduct such as "Never place family before business." Reportedly these rules are subject to interpretation depending upon the situation. Plea bargaining is a legal tradition, as is the purchasing of an apprenticeship following the Attainment Ceremony. There is no distinction between business and pleasure in Ferengi culture.

Money is expected to accompany every interchange of life, even private visits to family and friends' homes and government business. Quark pays to have his FCA charges announced and to get admission into his own mother's home, as well as sign off on legal waivers there.
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/vie...cle/70601.html


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## jucifer (Jun 27, 2004)

That's just awful.
Thank you for posting.


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## natashaccat (Apr 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *diane1969*
The docs on the other hand are so scared of lawsuits they will jump at a c-section

If that were universally true you'd think that (OB's and hospitals ) would start listening to science and stop electively setting mom's up for difficult births.

Anyone have any updated info on this case? It seems to have disapeared from the Anchorage headlines.


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## elvispupy (May 21, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *natashaccat*
Anyone have any updated info on this case? It seems to have disapeared from the Anchorage headlines.

This is an update I posted on Wed: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=320159


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## earthmama06 (Apr 28, 2004)

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I can't believe my eyes! The c/s rate is WAY to high in this country. We need MORE doctors like Dr. Murphy in this world. I wish she was my doc when I had my ds because I really feel that I was steamrolled into having a c/s by the nurses and the "on call" doc, who really just wanted to make it home in time to get a good night's sleep!


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## minkajane (Jun 5, 2005)

I can't believe this is happening.

No, wait, yes I can. Hospitals are worried about lawsuits and looking bad, so any doc who proves that the high C/S rate is unnecessary has to be hushed up. Because we all know that anyone with a C/S rate under 25% MUST be putting mothers and babies at risk with having vaginal deliveries at all costs, right?

I had a C/S in January for breech (totally unnecessary) and I just found out a friend of mine had a C/S this morning for FTP at 8 cm. From what I hear, they tried moving her around and it didn't help, but I bet the only moving she did was switching sides in the hospital bed!


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## Nani (Aug 29, 2004)

Does anyone know what has happened to Dr. Murphy since July??
She sounds like a great woman to know...


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## elvispupy (May 21, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nani*
Does anyone know what has happened to Dr. Murphy since July??
She sounds like a great woman to know...

She emailed me a week and 1/2 ago in reply to a message I had sent her and was still awaiting her hearing and a ruling from the board. I guess they're just taking their good ol' time to _really_ punish her







as she cannot practice right now so even if they decide that she can keep her license, she can't practice until they make a decision.


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