Utah OB practice declares its misogyny up front

[ccharles000]

Description: A teal sign on an office wall, reading:

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 of delivery.

For those patients who are interested in such methods, please notify the nurse so that we may arrange transfer of your care.

What struck me first about this sign was, somehow, not the illegality of refusing the presence of a doula at a birth and refusing informed consent for obstetric procedures, but the massive, glaring, deliberate omission of the woman in that opening clause.

These doctors are not concerned with women. These doctors are not concerned with women’s welfare. These doctors are not concerned with women’s health. These doctors see “delivery” (not “birth”, note) as a transaction between fetus and doctor, in which a woman is no more than an annoying, obstructive, hostile incubator. These doctors insist, explicitly, upon their dominion over women’s bodies.

They demand that their power be absolute – to the point of forbidding women to educate themselves, to the point of isolating women from sources of support, to the point of refusing women the right to decline them free access to their vaginas. This is the very definition of “abuse”.

Sadly, as so many have noted, all they’re doing is making it explicit. They’re not the only doctors with this attitude, with these rules. The only difference between them and many others is that they declare their hatred for you up front, instead of springing it on you later.

http://hoydenabouttown.com/20091025.6890/utah-ob-practice-declares-its-misogyny-up-front/

[GMA]

1. I was a childbirth educator in Utah

for over a decade, from the early 70's to the mid 80's, and faced off with almost every ob in Utah County. This is very sad to see, after all these years, but I doubt that it's confined to the Alpine Clinic and Utah. I have long-time friends who are CCE's and both lay and professional midwives who deal with this all over the country.

[marmar]

2. Yikes!....Just, yikes!

nt

[bobbolink]

3. I see this as a victory, however weird. BECAUSE we have been so vocal and active,

they are announcing themselves openly now so at least women know where they stand, and there is not as much of a hidden agenda.

It's tragic that this is the attitude in the 21st century, but at least we now KNOW it consciously.

That is the first step to running these rats out of town.

[uppityperson]

4. "very concerned about welfare & health of your unborn child" but don't care about your health/welfar

That is wild. They care about the deliveries and the "unborn child" but the pregnant woman matters not.

[bertman]

5. Utah. No surprise there. This is both sad and tragic. We have a long way to go toward

becoming a loving, caring nation.

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