Another Las Vegas hospital has decided to align itself with Sunrise Hospital against mothers. North Vista Hospital today denied a mother’s request for her placenta, citing health concerns. She told them she would be willing to sign whatever forms they wanted her to sign that would absolve them of liability should they release it to her. She offered to subject herself to HIV and Hepatitis tests to prove that she, and thereby her placenta, does not pose an infectious disease risk to anyone. They refused, and instead responded that they would not release her placenta without a court order. They then gave her until May 15, less than one week, to do so.
Interestingly enough, this is the exact same date that Sunrise Hospital gave Anne Swanson to respond with a lawsuit bofore threatening to destroy her placenta.
I’m curious – Are hospitals not businesses, dependent upon their paying customers for their survival? Are pregnant women not a considerable source of income for these hospitals? Do they feel that intimidation, bullying and threats are going to make them seem welcoming and supportive of women and families? Perhaps a boycott is in order… let them feel the ramifications of their actions in their wallets. They need to realize that women have a choice as to where to birth their babies, and we women have a strong desire, NEED, to birth our babies where we feel safe and confident that our needs will be met. There are many hospitals to choose from in Las Vegas. Even better – there are many competent midwives here who will provide the personal care and birth experience that women deserve.
A hospital that attempts to bully women into submission and has the arrogance to think that they control the contents of her womb should realize that women will not just lay down and take the abuse for the pleasure of subjecting their bodies to a hospital’s policies.
As a side note, I just searched Sunrise’s website with the term “maternity”. It came back with a list of helpful links for pregnant women. I’ll list a few of the gems here:
Longer Lasting and More Severe Maternal Depression Increases Risk of Child’s Depression
Anxiety During Pregnancy May Increase Child’s Risk of ADHD
Depression Negatively Affects Mothers’ Interactions With Their Infants
