Who should be responsible for the death of the pregnant woman?
By mari123
@mari123 (1861)
China
December 3, 2007 7:26am CST
A pregnant woman died at dystocia in the hospital yesterday after her husband refused to sign the agreement for a caesarean operation, JCRB.com reported.
Zhang Liu sent his 9-month-pregnant wife to a hospital at around 4 pm. His wife was already in a coma by then. Zhang declined the doctors’ suggestion for a caesarean operation and insisted that his wife only caught a cold and she would be able to deliver the baby without a C-section.
The staff and patients in the hospital tried to persuade Zhang to agree on the operation. Some even offer a 10,000 yuan award, but it was all in vain. The hospital had also tried to contact Mrs. Zhang’s relatives, but failed.
The hospital is under instructions that no operations can be performed until the agreement is signed.
After three hours, Mrs. Zhang and the baby passed away.
Who do you think is responsible for the death of Mrs. Zhang and her baby?her husband or the hospital?
2 people like this
5 responses
@Carnanco (70)
• United States
3 Dec 07
I'm sure the hospital has those procedures in place for a reason but I feel the hospital ought to be re-examining their policies and making exceptions for life threatening conditions. But on the other hand, sometimes people have a very strong reason to not want certain types of medical care and would in fact prefer to die. Personal beliefs should be respected and a hospital should not be held responsible for respecting the personal beliefs of an individual.
In this particular case, however, it sounds as if the husband is just a moron, believing she had a cold and not listening to the professionals. How can she be expected to deliver a baby in a coma? Since when do common colds cause comas? This is not a case of personal belief but idiocy and he should be responsible for his actions.
1 person likes this
@aidenofthetower (1814)
• United States
4 Dec 07
The hospital couldn't do anything. It seems that this man was in denial. It is sad, but I don't know that it is really anyone's fault. What he did was wrong, but now he is probably struggling with the issues of loosing his wife and his child as well as the fact that he will probably have guilt.
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
3 Dec 07
I'm not sure where this took place, but I would guess it was outside the United States. In the United States, most hospitals have policies and procedures in place that would override family consent and be able to legally perform the operation, especially with life-threatening conditions. I agree with the last post about the husband being a moron and I think the hospital should change their policies. As to who is really responsible, it would be hard, but I think the husband is most at fault if what was required was his consent.
@kakuemmom (859)
• Canada
3 Dec 07
Wow first off the husband for sure is partly responsible. He should have signed the papers for the c-section. But I feel the hospital too, they have a duty to try to save a life if they can. Now they knew that mother and baby were going to die and the only way to try to save them was by c-section how could they just stand there and let them die. There has to be some regulation that allows for life saving treatment when there is no other way. What if the woman had been brought in and they could not locate the husband would they have let her die or would they have tried to save her and the baby. This was a waste of two lives and more than one person is responsible for their deaths.
@xXxMikesWifeyxXx (3072)
• United States
3 Dec 07
depends,you know how when u go to the hospital and they ask you.is there any religion issues that would stop us from treating you?...well if there religion had issues to dow ith the surgery then its no ones fault, IF his wife didnt want to have a c section,then its no ones fault,(she could have told her husband before all of this ,if anything happends dont let them cut me open) if it was there religion stopping the sugery, its nones fault, if not then it would be the husbands fault. a hospital cannot go aginst policy, yes it sounds bad,. even if it is to save someones life. they cannot.
