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We get really used to us, our friends, and our extended families actually going to higher end medical facilities (yes, even calmet by comparison)... often in part because of us. Because they come to us or our spouses and ask to borrow money, or because we've encouraged/helped them previously so they have a little of their own. They don't get top notch western care perhaps... but it's better than some of the alternatives.

Today I had a stark reminder about how it is for the rest of the country. And honestly I'm a little annoyed that when shit got serious my wife didn't call me to help her friend. She had a friend giving birth... a sort of good friend who she just didn't see much of anymore because of distance and time, but was still pretty good friends with. Well, the birth wasn't going well, but I really didn't think a huge amount of it... the description I got was just that she'd been in labor a while and no baby... happens all the time. The wife dropped me off at home after dinner and went to stay with her at the hospital, as the woman's husband had to work and couldn't be with her.

Today I wake up to a puffy eyed wife telling me her friend and the baby have died. Apparently, as details come in, the baby was turned sideways in the womb and wasn't correcting. Not being there, and the wife not likely involved or away if she was, I have no idea what they tried (or didn't try) once this (or if this) was discovered. I find it highly possible they didn't figure it out until after. A transverse baby should not kill the mother and child... not in 2014. WORST case scenario should be a high risk to the infant from the umbilical. Resolving it is relatively easy (as birthing issues go, it's easier than resolving a full breech). But it's also VERY rare, and so it's unlikely any doctor here, even if trained, remembers what to do. They likely weren't even trained honestly. This was the government clinic on Ekareach street, which is pretty much as low as medical quality goes here in my opinion. I didn't even think it was still open.

This is the level of medical care most of the country has to make due with... it's just something to consider next time we're thinking about griping about overpriced Royal D or being charged for rubber gloves from Rattanak.

It happened to my sister-in-law had to lend them $500. for c-section or she would have ended up the same way.

it's terrible, and what's worse... there's not usually a need for a c-section. the baby can be moved if it's detected early enough (like when labor is first starting).

That's a sad sad story OD. The husband must have had quite a shock when he finished work.

They do make some pretty bad cock-ups in Western hospitals too though and the patients aren't able to tell their stories either.

yeah, but usually there's a review and some legal recourse... usually that ends in the doc not being a doc anymore. here they're going to try to sue the doctors apparently, but i have little hope for them getting anything out of it and don't think it will have any impact on the career of the "doctor".

i think there is a fair bit of financially motivated "surgery" too.

As much as I despise their feminazi attitude, western midwives would possibly have spotted this and probably even delivered a healthy baby. Such a shame, such an unnecessary tragedy.

frank lee bent wrote:i think there is a fair bit of financially motivated "surgery" too.

Absolutely. They want then to be stuck in the hospital for a few days/week recovering. TONS of chicks here seem to have c-section scars who probably didn't need one.

StroppyChops wrote:As much as I despise their feminazi attitude, western midwives would possibly have spotted this and probably even delivered a healthy baby. Such a shame, such an unnecessary tragedy.

Exactly. It's incredibly simple and easily resolved... so much so that one doesn't even need to be a doctor. Should never be fatal. Perhaps that's a solution... training the whole midwife industry up.

Kantha Bopha have very good record, even the elites and wealthy Koreans brought their pregnant wife there to give birth.

Shit... That'd indeed quite sad. They usually know ahead of time if the baby has turned around or not. That's rough for the husband and her parents...