Wow, this is sort of the depressing opposite of that orgasmic birth story we posted on recently:
According to a civil suit filed Monday, Skol arrived at the hospital at about 4 a.m. Her usual doctor was out of town, so Dr. Scott Pierce filled in. The lawsuit alleged that Pierce showed up at Rush four hours later, and when he did, he allegedly reprimanded Skol for not calling before coming in. The lawsuit claims he said there was not enough time to administer pain medication.The suit also accuses Pierce of telling a nurse that Skol got the pain she deserved because she had not called ahead.
"Sometimes pain is the best teacher," he allegedly said.
Skol says the doctor gave her an excruciating vaginal exam in the middle of a contraction. Then, although she was not fully dilated, she claims Pierce instructed her to start pushing.
When Skol or the staff questioned his methods, Pierce told Skol, "Shut up, close your mouth, and push," according to the suit.
If what the suit alleges is true, that's seriously disturbing.
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Actually, I think "shut up and push" is a great motto for the Western medical childbirth industry. I can see it on their letterhead now: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. "Shut up and Push."
That would be really funny, if it weren't so depressingly true.
Don't suggest it! They will be in violation of copyright laws because Dr. Pierce is already using it right under his name on His office stationery!
As a matter of fact because Pierce's anticipation of losing his medical license he has been moonlighting at a Chicago Walmart. His position is clearing the parking lot of shopping carts.
Just last night we overheard a 18 year old manager yelling to Pierce "Hey! If you want to work here ---- "Shut Up And Push" .... Pierce! yuk, yuk, yuk!
Something tells me this guy shouldn't be a doctor anymore.
He's disgusting.
This is the first time that I have ever commented here, but I have been an avid reader for over a year now. I am also involved in researching birth education in the US. These stories make my blood boil! One of the biggest things that I have found for women to protect themselves is knowing her patient rights, and advocating for them.
• The consent of a competent woman’s husband is never required for her treatment.
• Women have a right to have another woman present during a physical examination.
• Women can refuse to be examined or treated by anyone.
• Women have a right to have the father of the child, or another advocate, present during childbirth and delivery.
• Pregnant women have a right to refuse any medical treatment or drug, including a cesarean section, episiotomy, anesthesia, and pain medication.
• A woman has a right to change her mind about any decision made before or during labor or childbirth.
• A woman and her newborn have a right to remain in a hospital up to 48 hours after a vaginal birth and 96 hours after a cesarean section (your goal, however, should be to get mother and child out of the hospital as soon as it is safe for them to be discharged). [source: http://www.ican-online.org/pregnancy/legal-rights-pregnant-woman]
This guy definitely seemed to trample on this woman's rights, and deserves to be stripped of his license.
I'll believe it.
When I was in labour with my son, things starting going wrong, baby was 'crashing' as they called it, and they couldn't figure out why. At one point the doctor was examining me, and told me not to push, at all. But my body had a mind of its own and started pushing when I thougt I was telling it NOT to. And she actually started screaming at me! Can't remember what she yelled, just that it really startled me and made me even more nervous. But somehow I found some inner strength to calmly and politely ask her not to scream at me again, since I was doing the best that I could. (Whole thing ended with an acute c-section, but that's another story)
Doctors aren't perfect, but nothing justifies the treatment Skoll got. I believe her.
Why do so many obgyns hate women? I have never given birth, but some of the most traumatic experiences of my life have involved horrible gynecological exams (for example, after I cried through an extremely painful pelvic exam, the doctor actually said "I'm glad I'm not a woman"--as though it were my sex and not his incompetence that was the problem). I can imagine that a terrible birth experience would be even more scarring.
I'd say it's doctors like this guy (and some other spectacular examples of slime) that give the rest a bad name.
I'm sorry you had bad experiences with previous Ob/Gyns, but I don't think it's fair to tarnish the whole branch of medicine, which includes many people (male and female) who truly care about women and their health, as hating women. I realize that your words were not "all Ob/Gyns" but "many", but the sentiment seems the same to me.
But it's more than just a few "bad doctors." It really is a systemic problem, and the bad ones are just taking the underlying attitudes toward women and childbirth to a new level. I love this article: Industrial Childbirth.
When it comes to guys like these becoming OBGYN you have to wonder what their motivation was. Do they get off on having control over women? Are they just obsessed with vag? - Or both? Because clearly he didn't become a specialist because he wants to help women or appreciates the beauty of childbirth.
Forget malpractice- what this doctor did was sexual assault! He completely violated that woman, under the pretense of being a medical caregiver. In that instance, it's so much more difficult to tell if you're being abused or to do something about it, being in such a sensitive position.
I just hope that there will be nurses or PAs that will back up this woman's story, otherwise you know he'll get away with it. They'll just put on a defense of "He was just a good doctor doing his job when a colleague's patient needed him. She was just being overly sensitive because of the trauma of birth and/or hormones be actin' all crazy.", etc.
When it comes to guys like these becoming OBGYN you have to wonder what their motivation was. Do they get off on having control over women? Are they just obsessed with vag? - Or both? Because clearly he didn't become a specialist because he wants to help women or appreciates the beauty of childbirth.
Whom do you mean by "guys like these?"
I don't think these are fair assumptions to make based on one guy's possible malpractice, even if we assume the allegations are true. I think they buy into the constant sexualization of genitalia that social mores so often dictate.
There are certainly bad or unprofessional urologists out there, too, but I don't know that terrible bedside manner, or even allegations of flagrant departures from medical standards, means we should dismiss them as penis- or castration-obsessed.
By "guys like these" I mean that he acted like a jerk who abused his position of authority. I am not making any assumptions about any group of doctors or even male doctors. He acted like a bully. This is not the only instance I've heard of a male OBGYN abusing a woman in labor. So by "guys like these" I meant exactly that. Guys like him, who give other, caring doctors a bad name.
I think they buy into the constant sexualization of genitalia that social mores so often dictate.
Are you referring to the fact that I said this constitutes sexual assault? He abused a woman's sexual organs. Whether or not he meant it in a sexual way or was aroused in neither here nor there. Him being a doctor doesn't make it better. If anything, it makes it worse because he abused his position of knowledge and trustworthiness.
means we should dismiss them as penis- or castration-obsessed.
I never said it did.
At 4AM, it's possible he had to do it as an on-call resident (not necessarily an OB/GYN primarily although he'd have to be well-trained in it). No excuse for how he acted at all. But that might answer your question: he isn't one.
Regardless, he should never practice medicine again. Just from the news story, if it's accurate, he broke the hippocratic oath about 5 times. Unfortunately, even if he does lose his medical license in the state he's in, he can always get one in another state and start over with a clean slate. That's something that's broken and sick about our medical system. Horrible doctors can continue to practice, even if they lose their medical license in their home state.
What the holy hell? He's lucky she didn't kick him in his face, the ass.
One of the biggest things that I have found for women to protect themselves is knowing her patient rights, and advocating for them.
I agree that women should know their rights...the problem comes in the advocating for them, particularly during labor. During your continuing research, you'll find numerous stories of pregnant women who felt prepared and armed with info only to be bullied and coerced into an unneeded and unwanted procedure. It's hard to advocate for yourself with no back up while you in labor, especially when confronted by an assface like this doctor.
I vote for kicking him in the face. Because, of course, sometimes pain is the best teacher. ;)
Were you saying he is an ass and needs to be kicked in the face? Or that he needs to be kicked in the face, followed by the ass? LOL. Either way, I agree!
Hum ... I just gave birth to my daughter three months ago and no sane doctor would ask you to push unless you are fully dilated. It doesn't make things better, it creates a problem.
I recommend a birthing plan. It's a very good tool and allows you to discuss with both your doctor, your nurses and your partner what you expect ahead of time. For example, I didn't want any drugs and a natural birth, no episotomy. Turned out just like that. I gave a copy of the plan to the nurses on duty and when my doctor (not my usual one) walked in my husband and the nurses could both advocate in my favour. Btw, you need the right person to advocate for you. Someone you trust. For me it was my husband.
I can understand that there was no time to administer pain medication. There is a point where you just CAN'T give certain types of medication.
But four hours late? Pain is a lesson? Shut up and push? Surely there is a better way to get your point across. Something like "breath and push like they told you in your birthing classes" does the trick.
I'm very glad your birthing plan worked out for you. My husband and I joked after the birth of our daughter that our birthing plan turned out to be a recipe for what *didn't* happen.
And none of that was the fault of the doctors or nurses, who were awesome, but because it's difficult to plan for the unexpected. I didn't expect to go straight from no pain to excruciating pain. I didn't expect to find myself unable to fully dilate. And most importantly, I didn't expect my daughter to go into crisis and have to be yanked out via emergency c-section!
Having said all of that, though, I think the *process* of creating a birth plan was valuable, because it forced me to consider all the options. Thus, even though I'd intended to try no drugs, I read up on epidurals and such and knew what I was saying when I asked for one.
But all of this is for naught, of course, if you deal with a doctor who's an ass. I'm very very grateful for my OB.
And there are a number of women whose birth plans have been ignored. My midwife was out of town when I went into labor early, and I had to fight tooth and nail to keep most of the stuff in my birth plan. It's amazing that they'll do that to you while you're in labor, as if you don't already have enough to deal with. But I think that's why they do it to you - they know you're vulnerable and want to manipulate you into doing things in a way that's easy for them.
As soon as that baby came out, I could have kicked his ass only if he was still breathing because my husband probably would have tried to kill him. I am happy that Skol is more reasonable than I am and I truly feel sorry that instead of feeling joy at the birth of her child she had to feel unnecessary pain and humiliation.
labours tend to get faster the more babies you have. it's possible she didnt have time to call in first because things kicked in so fast. it was at 4 in the morning. maybe she was busy making childcare arrangements for her other children.
if he was like this at this labour, there have to be other women. hopefully they will have the courage to come forward. you dont say and do these things in a vacuum.
labours tend to get faster the more babies you have. it's possible she didnt have time to call in first because things kicked in so fast. it was at 4 in the morning. maybe she was busy making childcare arrangements for her other children.
if he was like this at this labour, there have to be other women. hopefully they will have the courage to come forward. you dont say and do these things in a vacuum.
The number of misogynistic obgyns out there makes me sick and terrified.
The number of misogynistic obgyns out there makes me sick and terrified.
FYI .....State of Illinois Department of Professional Regulation is investigating Dr. Scoyy Pierce and there is a hearing scheduled for tomorrow, February 23 at 1:00pm
This hearing is opened to the public so get there early because seating will be limited. Admittance only available for the first 200 people!
Dr, Pierce, drop your draws, bend over (cause sometimes pain is the best teacher), put your head between your legs, and kiss your license good buy !