Abortion ban linked to dangerous miscarriages at Catholic hospital, report claims

[muriel_volestrangler]

The woman inside the ambulance was miscarrying. That was clear from the foul-smelling fluid leaving her body. As the vehicle wailed toward the hospital, a doctor waiting for her arrival phoned a specialist, who was unequivocal: the baby would die. The woman might follow. Induce labor immediately.

But staff at the Mercy Health Partners hospital in Muskegon, Michigan would not induce labor for another 10 hours. Instead, they followed a set of directives written by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that forbid terminating a pregnancy unless the mother is in grave condition. Doctors decided they would delay until the woman showed signs of sepsis – a life-threatening response to an advanced infection – or the fetal heart stopped on its own.

In the end, it was sepsis. When the woman delivered, at 1.41am, doctors had been watching her temperature climb for more than eight hours. Her infant lived for 65 minutes.
...
All five women, the report says, had symptoms indicating that it would be safest for them to deliver immediately. But instead of informing the women of their options, the report says, or offering to transfer them to a different hospital, doctors – apparently out of deference to the Mercy Health Partners’ strict ban on abortion – unilaterally decided to subject the women to prolonged miscarriages.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/18/michigan-catholic-hospital-women-miscarriage-abortion-mercy-health-partners

[Kelvin Mace]

1. People ask me why I want the Church (and all churches)

stripped of their tax exempt status. I am tired of subsidizing this misogyny.

[skepticscott]

2. Every doctor involved

should lose their license, and the hospital should lose its accreditation. This is an absolutely despicable violation of medical ethics and human decency.

[progressoid]

9. Yep.

Kind of goes against that whole "do no harm" thing.

[Humanist_Activist]

3. I'm glad that I live in a major metro area where there are some secular, non-profit hospitals....

the closest hospital to us is Catholic, but we are going to avoid them as much as possible. You cannot trust Catholic hospitals with women's health related to pregnancy.

They should be removed from the health care industry entirely.

[KT2000]

4. It is always a panel of men

whether in Congress or in this case the bishops who decide women's healthcare.
Allowing infection to grow to meet a religious standard is attempted murder - sue the crap out of them.

[elehhhhna]

5. malpractice. plain and simple.

[cleanhippie]

6. I'm sure there a good Cathosplaination for this. Someone should be along shortly to do that.

Oh, wait, my bad. It'll be about six weeks or so.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. 'ecclesplaining' - making excuses for why your church is morally OK,

despite all appearances to the contrary.

[Lordquinton]

7. Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater

Oh... Oh I'm so sorry...

[Major Nikon]

10. Should women be forced to listen to the risks associated with giving birth in a Catholic hospital?

Because we are repeatedly told the reason women MUST be presented with information on the perils of abortion is because it's all about the health of the mother.

[cleanhippie]

11. Oops, I posted the same thing.