USMLE Forums banner

Pregnant Lady Refusing Caesarean section

5.4K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  Androide89  
#1 ·
A 32 yrs old Caucasian mother is admitted to the labor unit with complaints of intense abdominal pain, heavy vaginal bleeding and uterine contractions every seven minutes. She is thirty weeks gestation and has missed most of her prenatal care appointments. Fetal heart rate monitoring indicates the fetus is in distress and ultrasound confirms placental abruption. The patient is informed of an urgent need of caesarean section. She refuses and insists on vaginal delivery. Which is the next appropriate step
1) proceed with caesarean section because there is evidence of fetal distress
2) proceed with caesarean section because the mother is endangering a viable fetus with her request
3) inform the patient she is being unreasonable
4) transfer the patient to another obstetrician
5) allow her to proceed with normal vaginal delivery
 
#9 ·
the pregnant lady gets to decide!!!!

the correct answer is indeed 5
the explanation given is as follows:
although this pt wishes are not in the best interest of her unborn child,she is entitled to make decisions that affect the fetus while it remains attched to herbeco it is still considered a part of her body.therefore she cannot be forced to accept a treatment even though it means her unbornchildmay not survive as a result