The Doctors Who 'Don’t See Pregnant Patients'
(MedPage Today) -- The resident was apologetic over the phone, embarrassed for reasons outside his control. He was transferring, from his hospital to ours, a pregnant patient who required consultation for a non-obstetric illness. This alone was...
A pregnant patient arrived at a tertiary hospital, requiring consultation for a non-obstetric illness. Specialists at the new facility refused to consult, citing their refusal to see pregnant patients. The patient spent the night in medical purgatory, awaiting a more accommodating doctor. Ultimately, she transferred to a facility where consultants gladly treated her.
Pregnancy is not an isolated issue; pregnant individuals face a range of medical conditions that require specialist care. Obstetricians often consult with cardiologists, neurologists, and psychiatrists, as pregnancy can interact with various organ systems. The real question is whether specialists understand their field in the context of pregnancy.
Some specialists claim insufficient knowledge, but the gap often lies within their own specialty, not obstetrics. In a scenario where a patient has two doctors, one specializing in a field unrelated to pregnancy, the pregnancy-capable patient may face unequal treatment. Abortion is also not siloed within medicine; specialists in anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, and oncology have expressed concern about pregnant patients following the Dobbs decision.
Obstetric physiology is complex, but all physicians should choose to acquire new skills and knowledge. The decision to treat pregnant patients is ultimately a personal choice, influenced by interests, backgrounds, and values. Improving maternal mortality rates should involve a broader range of physicians, not solely obstetricians.
Written by urgent.news from MedPage Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
