Patient dies during C-section at Beth Israel Deaconess

I am very sad for the whole family.
I had three C-sections. One was an emergency, one after 23 hours of labor and the last was scheduled. I don't believe I was aware of the risk.
God bless this family and strengthen them.

clearly C-Section deliveries are a good option for women during childbirth, and the procedure has revolutionized maternity medicine in that women don't have to die at such alarming rates as they used to when there were no options other than vaginal birth. having had 2 successful, "healthy" C-Sections, I can say that I opted for it the second birth (and my MD agreed) due to long, difficult, non-progressive labor the first time that would have required forceps and/or suction to facilitate a vaginal birth. my husband, and MD himself, and I always thought that my taking on the risks instead of the baby was a better option for us. our thoughts and prayers go out to this family as they grieve their loss.

This is very very sad. Keep in mind, however, that it will become more common place if so-called "born alive" legislation forces doctors to perform this extensive abdominal surgery on women who are already dying from their pregnancies (instead of safer medical techniques these extremists are attempting to ban). This includes women dying of massive clotting disorders.

Lets hope that it remains very sad news.

why do we need to comment on this story?

C-sections are extremely serious procedures that have been repackaged as customary by hospitals and doctors in recent years. Certainly, my wife and I are grateful for the successful surgery performed with our 8 month old son at Brigham and Women's. Nevertheless, I hope this this sad and horrible development causes greater inquiry into the sudden rise in C-section births. Fortunately, our health insurance covered 90% of the costs related to pregnancy. This type of surgery costs far more than a vaginal birth. The numbers are actually staggering. The question is, is there a correlation between medical profits and the rise of C-section births?

I feel very bad for the family. We lost our daughter at birth out in California at a large HMO. I can not even begin to imagine how the husband and now new father is doing. We eventually had two healthy children but my husband's greatest fear after that experience was that it could have been me. I really hope that the pain lessens each day for the family especially for the woman's husband and that he looks at the baby as a new start and as days go by, he will look at the baby/child in the future and thank his late wife for her sacrifice.

I agree, C- section births are not required for the majority (1/3) of births. So the question is, why are they being done so frequently in the U.S., as it is not common in most other parts of the world. My somewhat educated guesses are: 1) women being uneccesarily afraid of vaginal (normal) birth, yes it is not easy, but a little more education on the process and confidence help, also, women have a higher threshold for pain than men, 2) doctors prefer to know what day and what time of the day they will have to "work" to deliver a baby for their clients (instead of being called in at 2 am), and 3) the extra drugs that are sometimes taken to induce labor and then relieve discomfort slow the whole natural process down, and thus cause longer labor and then precipitate the apparant "need" to do a c-section, for health of the baby, which is sometimes true.

Unheard of in this day and age. But, the old adage applies here: "What man proposes, God disposes."

Thank you to those of you that posted comments that may actually help another. This story being posted like this makes people more aware and better able to make more informed decisions for themselves. Our hearts and prayers go out to this family and the new baby.

I wish only the best for this family that is feeling such sorrow and grief at a time when there should be nothing but joy. I had two C-sections, neither of which was due to my convenience or the doctor's. Let's try to be kinder with each other and not jump to conclusions or speculate about someone else's motivations. Each case is different, and each patient has the right to make her own decisions based on what is best for her and her family.

Joe R.,

Thank you for your insightful cliché..

www.sabrinasfoundation.org

Dedicated to eliminating the 500,000 maternal deaths per year . . . one family per minute loses a mother.

Someone, other than the interested parties, ought to ask a few questions, principally: was the procedure absolutely necessary?

Our experience was one of being pressured into the procedure, quite unnecessarily. In the end, after fending off the scalpels, drugs, and overly-helpful staff, was a textbook perfect birth of twins that yielded zero issues.

It's my view that this procedure, along with induced birthing, spinals, and various drugs to induce and intensify contractions are summarily prescribed to otherwise poorly informed and unassertive patients for reasons that are unclear but may include staff (and perhaps the patient) just wanting to get it over with.

I agree, why do people think they have anything to offer here? shut up and just reflect and say a quiet prayer for this family. Words aren't always the answer.

It's not profits that drive the great number/percentage of unnecessary c-sections, it's a lack of advocacy and education for and of patients and mostly it's the medical malpractice case protection c-sections offer doctors -- even though, on average, outcomes are worse for mother and baby. That's the world we live in. No one sues over an unnecessary c-section. These surgeries are major -- they cut through many tissues... muscles, this surgery involves the bladder and is not always gentler on the baby -- I've even known of vacuum extraction being used to try to yank out stuck babies in a c-section. Post op infections are worse, etc etc. We should be doing 10-15% of birth with this procedure.

My heart goes out to the family and the medical staff who did their best to keep this woman and her child alive.

Studies show that more c-sections are performed on Fridays than any other day of the week. Coincidence? Or just doctors making a choice that is the most convenient for them? Pregnant women should be certain that its the best choice before undergoing this surgery.

It's worth pointing out that the medicolegal risk carried by Ob-Gyns is very high. So if there's any question that a vaginal birth might have increased risk (long delivery, breech presentation, previous C-section), the chances of a C-section being performed go up dramatically. This has mainly to do with obstetrician's fear of being sued. it's not right, necessarily, but it's the reality of modern medicine. It's also why forceps delivery is becoming less common; it's a skill that's hard to teach, and adverse events (while not common) carry sufficient risk that many obstetricians aren't willing to risk them. Easier to do a C-section and avert the issue of a difficult delivery altogether.

and in response to M Hayes, C-sections aren't really a huge money-maker for hospitals. They can charge more for those than for vaginal births, true, but they're not particularly remunerative.

What the article fails to point out is that 5,000 babies are born each year at Beth Israel. If 1/3 are cesarean, Beth Israel has had approximately 16,000 cesarean births since the last fatality. Much better then the national average.

One primary reason for the rise of C-sections is that the law says that anyone who takes active an part in delivering a baby may be sued for medical malpractice within the first 18 YEARS!! This means that if I feel that my little Johnny did not score well on the 10th grade MCAS because the doctor who delivered him 17 years ago waited too long to induce labor, I would have grounds for a lawsuit. This is why some OBGYNs pay up to 50% of their income for medical malpractice insurance. One way to keep the insurace premiums from rising any higher is to offer an option for the family such as C-section within the first whiff of any irregularity.

For all those of you who are saying that you wonder whether sections are on the rise because of doctors wanting to make more money or plan their schedules better, you are so completely misguided, it's not even funny. Obstetricians do C-sections out of a tremendous fear of litigation if the slightest thing goes wrong in a vaginal delivery. C-sections are more controllable in terms of time it takes to get the baby out, and therefore at the slightest hint of fetal distress, OBs will rush to the section. It has nothing to do with $$, and shame on you for thinking so. OBs in this state pay literally hundreds of thousands of dollars per year for malpractice insurance. If they wanted to make money they would have gone into dermatology. The primary goal of any OB is to get the baby out safely and protect both mother and child. Sections sometimes help with this, but the real problem is the litigation-happy society we live in that will sue for anything and everything under the sun, that has backed our obstetricians into a corner where they fear what will happen if they do not go to the OR and cut a baby out.
If you want the rate of sections to go down, STOP SUING DOCTORS FOR STUPID CRAP.

As a Registered Nurse on a Labor and Delivery Unit in Boston, I extend my deepest regret to the affected family and friends, and to the Medical Team at BI. May GOD cover you all with HIS devine consolation.

My prayers are with this family.

ELizabeth, you nailed it!

My heart goes out to the family of the mother who passed during the surgery. I gave birth to my daughter via c-section, due to extreme complications of labor, and was terrified that I would die on the operating table. My only hope is that the husband has a good support system right now. I cannot imagine being so excited and awaiting a wonderful beginning, and to be hit with the harsh, tragic reality of losing your partner and best friend. This story makes me wish I could help in some way...

to Mark Richards

Take your own advice. Your words are the worst here. My deepest sympathy to the family in their time of loss and gain.

Some comment to express their true feelings. Others comment to belittle and still others like MIke comment to make themselves feel superior. Why is there a question of whether to or not. We are social beings and we want to know that others feel like we do and we also want to know who the jerks are (Mark).

My deepest condolences to the family and the medical team.

It is sad. My depesest sympathy to the family. I wish the family God's grace and peace during such hurting times. May the child bring this family joy and fill the void of this lost. Prayers can do anything. Ask God for strength and you will be made sufficient to raise the new addition to your family. Look closely at this angel and you will see mum in him or her. Be strong.

Have any more details of this very unfortunate event come to light? Who was the doctor performing the surgery? What were the complications?

I would certainly question the "just another c-section" mentality that is assumed.
I do not believe that each and every c-section is performed assuming that the individual is unique in her own right and that anything could possibly go wrong.
Drs are becoming so unassuming and arrogant in performing what is considered routine procedures. They should always perform with the mindset of human life in his or her hands, whether it be surgery or dianostic medicine. Arrogance seems
to play a part in so many mishaps.
God bless the family