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A sign posted at the Aspen OB/GYN Women's Center in Provo, Utah has many women up in arms. What's so offensive? Read for yourself.
The sign reads as follows:
Because the Physicians at Aspen Women’s Center care about the quality of their patient’s deliveries and are very concerned about the welfare and health of your unborn child, we will not participate in a “Birth Contract”, a Doulah Assisted, or a Bradley Method delivery. For those patients who are interested in such methods, please notify the nurse so we may arrange transfer of your care.
I first learned of this sign from Naomi, the Denver Doula, who posted it on Facebook. Being a doula (which is misspelled on the sign) herself, she took a particular interest in it. When she called the Center and inquired with the receptionist as to why the sign was posted she was told, "in case there is an emergency we don't want anyone to get in the way of the doctor doing what he has to do."
Annie from PhD in Parenting was inspired by the sign to write How Not To Have a Natural Birth and believes the center might as well have said:
Because Physicians at Aspen Women’s Center care only about doing things their own way and making as much money as possible from unnecessary birth interventions, even if it poses greater risks to the welfare and health your baby, we will not participate in a “Birth Contract”, a doula-assisted, or a Bradley Method delivery. For all patients who have done any research into having the safest birth possible, please notify the nurse so that we can transfer you to a facility that cares less about control and money.
Annie added, "I guess we can at least credit them with warning women in advance. Many hospitals with the same attitude don’t have a sign hanging out front."
Amber responded, "I always thought the big ‘trust birth’ poster in my midwives office was a little cheesy. Now that I’ve seen the alternative, I think it’s truly marvelous. Really."
Miriam Zoila Pérez of Radical Doula wrote a post called Signs You Don't Want to See at Your OB-GYN's Office. She believes the sign could be translated to say:
We don’t care at all what you want as a parent, or a person in labor. We want a patient who will sit quiet and do what we say–no matter what. Oh and if you have a partner you want involved, tough. Your desires don’t matter.
Miriam adds, "They should change the name of the center to the 'Unborn Children Center' since they don’t seem to care too much about the women involved."
A commenter named Janna responded saying, "That’s what bothered me most about this hateful little sign–not once is the “welfare and health” of the MOTHER mentioned, just the “welfare and health” of the “unborn child” and the “quality” of the “deliveries.” Who would want to give birth in a place where they’re the lowest priority on their caregiver’s list? I hope women in this area have other options and the opportunity to have safe, healthy, supportive births."
Does no doula, Bradley Method birth or birth "contract" equal no women's rights?
Summer who writes at Wired for Noise says signs like this one and stories like the lack of choice with regard to our reproductive health and doctors' personal "birth plans" make her sometimes think Doctors Hate Women.
What does it say when women have to escape, have to run away in order to do something as normal as give birth? What does it say when women are treated like children, talked down to, insulted, lied to, and handed letters telling them what the god-head doctor will allow or not allow. When all you want to do is give birth and you’re doctor is more concerned with telling you to sit down and shut up, what is that if not hatred?
I have to agree with Annie that at least some doctors are upfront with what they will and won't "allow" as part of their practice. Kudos to them for being honest. Hopefully that will allow women to look for another care provider while she's still early in her pregnancy.
Rest assured if the OB/GYN I had at my daughter's birth would have given me a
