Reply #47: OB practice in N.C. is definitely governed by lawyers [View All]

[ma4t]

"...doctors have responded by changing the way they deliver babies..."

I can attest that this is true from our own experience with the birth of our 2nd child. The OB nurse for my wife's OB/GYN had a short session with a group of "expectant parents" where she ran down all the things that could happen. This was basically an attempt to take the mystery out of the terminology and such so that moms and dads wouldn't panic unnecessarily. One thing I remember clearly was a list of things that would provoke a C-section. The nurse was quite clear that some of the reasons for a C-section had nothing to do with sound medical practice and, in fact, a C-section would be riskier than normal delivery. However; because of precedents set by several lawsuits, doctors could defend a bad outcome from a C-section more effectively than they could from vaginal delivery, even though bad outcomes were more likely with a C-section.

I was very disheartened to learn that the state of defensive medicine had reached such a low point although I was happy to hear the medical professional's candor about it. I wonder how many times doctor's follow a treatment plan which is not in the patient's best interest purely out fear of a lawsuit without informing the patient. I'd bet it is not rare at all.