I recently read one of the most horrifying articles I have read in a very long time. ProPublica wrote an investigative report, Florida Courts Ordered Them To Have C-Sections, about women who wanted to have vaginal births but were met with resistance from hospitals and the courts.

Cherise Doyley was in labor for over twelve hours when a nurse brought her a blanket to cover up, and a supervisor brought her a tablet, where an emergency virtual hearing called by the hospital was about to take place. At this meeting were lawyers, doctors, hospital staff, and a judge. Doyley did not know what was going on and was not afforded a lawyer or even a patient advocate. The hearing was brought by University of Florida Health to force Doyley to have a C-Section against her wishes.

For three hours while still in labor, Doyley, a professional birthing doula, had to endure this hearing, where she told the judge that she had had problematic C-Sections in the past, one resulting in a hemorrhage.

Doctors informed her that they feared more hours in labor would cause a uterine rupture, which could lead to her death and that of her unborn child. Doyley believed that the risk was less than 2% and only agreed to a C-Section in an emergency. The courts believed differently.

Judge Michael Kalil informed her that the state had filed an emergency petition at the hospital’s behest — not out of concern for Doyley, per se, but in the interest of her unborn child. He described the circumstances as “extraordinary.”

ProPublica

This article reminded me of Adriana Smith, who was kept on life support to deliver her baby even though she was brain-dead and pronounced dead. It seems more and more that mothers don’t matter and that mothers’ bodily autonomy is being leeched away, state by state.

I put myself in the shoes of Cherise Doyley and Brianna Bennett, who also had an emergency hearing from her hospital bed. Like them, I would have been taken off guard and felt railroaded into a birth decision that was not mine, but ordered by the courts. I am horrified that this is happening to women and wonder how this can be stopped, or at least allow mothers to have professional advocates who can help them navigate these hearings.

Read Florida Courts Ordered Them To Have C-Sections and watch a portion of the hearing.

What do you think?