Another HCA hospital has "banned" VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). Bans of this sort force women into unnecessary major surgery, putting themselves at greater risk from surgical complications and complications in future pregnancies. Such bans also go against their legal right to choose and refuse care. It is a basic right upheld by every tenet of related legislation.
The only reason such bans exist is to avoid legal liability of the hospital if something happens during a VBAC and the hospital cannot respond quickly enough. Sounds like a problem with the hospital, not the woman, doesn't it?
What do we do about this? Complain, refuse, know our rights and act on them. Write government representatives and grassroots organizations like MomsRising. Join ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) and get involved. File a grievance with the Chief Compliance Officer at the offending hospital(s).
Refusing to consent to a cesarean can be done on any consent form at the hospital. Simply cross out any wording on the generic consent form, initialing the change, and add that you refuse a cesarean section. You are not required by law to sign a consent form if you are in labor. EMTALA states that labor is an emergency situation in which they must treat you until you have stabalized (birth is complete), and they cannot order you to have an unnecessary cesarean without a court order. A court order would require proving that a cesarean is medically necessary.
Heinous violations of our rights such as these will not change until people take action against them.
For more on hospital VBAC bans, visit the ICAN of Portland website (although not in my state, still has thorough info).
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