[formerluddite]

well, it's worse than i thought when i started <a href="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=621397" target="_blank">this thread</a>. CPMC-ST Luke's will no longer accept VBAC's. and homestyle midwifery is getting kicked out as of Aug 1st.<br><br>
here's the <a href="http://www.sfweekly.com/2007-04-25/news/no-hail-caesarean/full" target="_blank">SFWeekly article</a>.<br><br>
here's a press release about it:<br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">*** This is so important to all of us! Please come and show your support! Read and forward this press release and flier to everyone who might be able to come on May 11th. Thank you! ***<br><br>
April 24, 2007<br><br>
ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL BANS<br><br>
VAGINAL BIRTHS AFTER CESAREAN BIRTH (VBAC)<br><br>
DATELINE – San Franciscans have united to plan a public rally to protest the banning of VBACs at the St. Luke's Campus. The rally will begin at the 24th & Mission Bart Station, on Friday, May 11th, at 10:30am.<br><br>
End the VBAC ban at CPMC St. Luke's Campus!<br><br>
In March of 2007, California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) abruptly began denying women with previous cesarean surgery the option to deliver vaginally at St. Luke's Campus (formerly St. Luke's Hospital). CPMC currently requires women to undergo planned cesarean surgery at St. Luke's campus or submit to a forced transfer of care to another provider at a different area hospital.<br><br>
If you believe a woman should have the right to birth vaginally without coercion, undue administrative pressure and unnecessary intervention with the care provider of her choice, please come and show your support! Be part of the effort to end the Ban of VBACs at CPMC, St. Luke's Campus!<br>
Citizens wishing to participate in the rally should report to the 24th & Mission Bart Station on Friday, May 11th, at 10:30am. We will walk to St. Luke's Hospital to protest. The Rally will follow at Dolores Park.</td>
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i'm too demoralized to say more, except come march with us May 11th, and hope for me i won't lose my job (you should see the employee handbook we've gotten, i'm sure there will be something in there gagging me from freedom of speech in exchange for the privilege of a job).

 

[tamagotchi]

It's hard to believe that Dr. Norrell supports this change, it really doesn't seem like her at all.

 

[formerluddite]

from the sfweekly article linked:<br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">But St. Luke's foresaw a possible scenario on nights and weekends when less staff was on hand: The main operating room team could be occupied, the ob-gyn team always called in for a VBAC labor attempt could be busy, and a VBAC mother, should she need an emergency C-section, could be left without a surgical team. "It's absolutely a possibility," said <b>Dr. Laura Norrell, the hospital's chair of obstetrics</b>. "We've been lucky it hasn't happened, frankly. So while [stopping VBACs] is a painful decision for us to make, I think it's the right one because it's all about guaranteeing a patient's safety."</td>
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it's all about guaranteeing a patient's safety.<br><br>
yeah, right...<br><br>
nobody is suing over the consequences of C/S's, and the risks of them aren't honestly kept track of. for instance if a mama dies a week later of an infection/blood clot/etc. from a C/S, the "cause of death" will <span style="text-decoration:underline;">not</span> be the C/S, but instead the infection. so the risks get hidden. same for the baby, who will miss out on being colonized properly with his mama's bacterial flora (on the was out the birth canal, swallowing it), and instead get whatever is there to be gotten from the environment, and won't get as much fluid massaged out if her lungs, etc etc. we know there are these downsides to C/S, but there's a disconnect in the statistics. whenever comparisons are made of vaginal vs C/S birth, it gets whitewashed, only immediate consequences are compared, not long term health consequences, where you could say that by x weeks/months later this many <span style="text-decoration:underline;">more</span> c/s'd babies have died of oportunistic infections from not getting the flora (or from the antibiotics, or the failed breastfeeding from the drugs/separation... etc etc).<br><br>
i'm rambling, don't have links to give proper statistics, but i'm too frustrated to collect them right now, and i'm preaching to the choir anyway. i'm sure someone probably has some handy.

 

[tamagotchi]

Yes I read the article and saw the quote and thought that it was so strange for her to say that! She's been my OB for at least 5 years now and it just seems so unlike her.

 

[ericswifey27]

Ugh<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/gloomy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Gloomy">:<br><br>
I wish I lived closer.<br><br>
I would most definitely march with you!

 

[heatherRN]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>tamagotchi</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7955469"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Yes I read the article and saw the quote and thought that it was so strange for her to say that! She's been my OB for at least 5 years now and it just seems so unlike her.</div>
</td>
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I read online that malpractice insurance to perform VBAC is higher...maybe one of the reasons Laura Norrel is in support? Not sure, but I am saddened...

 

[formerluddite]

my guess is after the merger, she is no longer the big fish in the small pond, and has to answer to the higher management of the cpmc culture (very interventionist) if she wants to advance her career. i've only met her briefly, so i have no other take on her decision than that.<br><br>
but i can tell you that over the past 5 years, all former st luke's managers were fired/told to "resign for personal reasons," starting with the president/CEO about 6mos after the "affiliation" with sutter. it was a merger in name only, but it was better than closing down entirely. and it will probably not even be an acute care hospital anymore in 3 years, when the commitment given ends. so this is just a part of that progression, and cpmc is just about the only game in town these days. so pretty soon cpmc cal campus will be the only place besides sfgh or ucsf for an OB to advance.<br><br>
at least we can make our voices heard, and try to influence the decision through media coverage.<br><br>
p.s. hi heather!

 

[Panthira]

OMG I am shocked and terribly saddened by this news! I just gave birth with Homestyle Midwifery in this hospital last year as a VBAC (2x Vbac). This is awful, especially for California of all places, and SF too? We're supposed to be at the forefront for change, but not THIS kind of change.<br><br>
Is there anything else I can do besides march to show my discontent over this decision? I have a healing broken leg and I'm 6 months pregnant, so marching is not in the cards for me right now...<br><br>
Is CPMC a Sutter hospital?? I HATE Sutter, and will not go there for any kind of treatment. So basically the only places a mama can VBAC is at UCSF or SF Gen anymore?

 

[jaye]

I'm confused - is the ban only at the st luke's campus, not california?<br><br>
Either way - freaking ridiculous. You would think med insurance companies would have something to say about this since the cost of a c/s is so much more than a vaginal.

 

[meggles]

Ugh, this is SO disappointing. Homestyle midwifery, a good environment and history for homebirth transfers, and Vbac support have made St. Luke's what it is. My friend purposely transferred to St. Luke's just a few months ago and had a great experience. How sad that this is happening in the most midwifery-friendly hospital in SF! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/dizzy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Dizzy">: <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/angry.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="angry"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/shake.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="shake">

 

[formerluddite]

Panthira- yes St luke's has been sutter for almost 6 years. now it is part of cpmc. there is an agreement to keep it open as an acute hospital for ?3 more years, after that is anybody's guess. with the earthquake retrofit deadline looming, and cpmc planning to build a new hospital campus at the old Cathedral Hill Hotel site, who knows how things will be reorganized. everytime there's a hospital merger L&D usually gets closed down/consolidated. pacific and davies don't do it anymore, as they did when they were independent. neither does summit in oakland. (now part of alta bates).<br><br>
"Is there anything else I can do besides march to show my discontent over this decision?" letters letters letters. The current CEO of CPMC is Martin Brotman (2351 Clay Street, 7th floor, SF, CA 94115), the CEO at St. Luke's campus is Judy Li (3555 Cesar Chavez Street, SF CA 94110).<br><br>
jaye- yes, the ban is just at st lukes, because of the limited OR/surgical team availability. so one can still VBAC at cpmc-cal campus, but they are pretty interventionist there:
<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">...Cynthia Banks, one of Homestyle Midwifery midwives at St. Luke's, says CPMC is breathing down their neck, questioning many of their decisions around labor and delivery. Her example was they really dislike allowing a woman to labor slowly, and question why more intervention didn't occur after a long early stage. That may be why they want to shut it down.</td>
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this quote is from an email sent out to bay area homebirth collective members, more from that <a href="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=621397" target="_blank">here</a>.<br><br>
the fear of malpractice is driving birthcare nowadays.

 

[Panthira]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>formerluddite</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7983418"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Panthira- yes St luke's has been sutter for almost 6 years. now it is part of cpmc. there is an agreement to keep it open as an acute hospital for ?3 more years, after that is anybody's guess. with the earthquake retrofit deadline looming, and cpmc planning to build a new hospital campus at the old Cathedral Hill Hotel site, who knows how things will be reorganized. everytime there's a hospital merger L&D usually gets closed down/consolidated. pacific and davies don't do it anymore, as they did when they were independent. neither does summit in oakland. (now part of alta bates).<br><br>
"Is there anything else I can do besides march to show my discontent over this decision?" letters letters letters. The current CEO of CPMC is Martin Brotman (2351 Clay Street, 7th floor, SF, CA 94115), the CEO at St. Luke's campus is Judy Li (3555 Cesar Chavez Street, SF CA 94110).<br><br>
jaye- yes, the ban is just at st lukes, because of the limited OR/surgical team availability. so one can still VBAC at cpmc-cal campus, but they are pretty interventionist there: this quote is from an email sent out to bay area homebirth collective members, more from that <a href="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=621397" target="_blank">here</a>.<br><br>
the fear of malpractice is driving birthcare nowadays.</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
Wow, thank you for the information. I wasn't aware that St. Luke's was a Sutter hospital. I will write letters, alright. This whole thing is awful and I cannot believe it!<br>
Cynthia Banks has quit Homestyle Midwifery and has chosen to be a SAHM. I wonder if this whole decision is why.<br>
VBACs aren't allowed legally in birth centers and certain hospitals have policies against them. It's just wrong to FORCE a mother to choose c-section or homebirth. In my case, I've delivered by VBAC 2x before yet I will always be a VBAC in the eyes of the medical establishment.

 

[bornbythesea]

The closing of homestyle midwifery is sad, I have only have heard such wonderful things about it. Also the denying women the right to VBAC at St. Lukes is truly a disappointment. But from what I understand, their intention is not to deny, but rather divert VBAC to their other campus on California street.<br>
CPMC Cal campus can be very aggressive with their interventionist attitudes and their narrow time frames. It would not be my first choice to give birth there. But, they do have 3 operating rooms and are very well equipped to handle emergencies, and I believe that they are supportive of VBAC if the woman chooses to do it. Because Dr. Norrell is such a wonderful asset to the birth scene in San Francisco, I choose to believe that her motives are purely patient safety. I simply wish to give her the benefit of the doubt until I have more information.<br><br>
That said, I hope that they reconsider!