10% of pregnant JW accept blood

by richard 15 Replies latest watchtower medical

• 

  richard

  An article in the professional journal Obstetrics & Gynecology (Sep 2004) indicates that, if need arises, almost 10% of pregnant JWs would agree to accept packed red blood cells while another 40% would consent to a variety of donated blood products. Article abstract below:

  Responses by Pregnant Jehovah’s Witnesses on

  Health Care Proxies

  Cynthia Gyamfi,

  MD , and Richard L. Berkowitz, MD

  OBJECTIVE:

  To review the treatment options presented on

  the New York State Health Care Proxy for Jehovah’s

  Witnesses, which is signed by pregnant women when they

  present for care.

  METHODS:

  Chart reviews were performed for all women

  who presented to labor and delivery at our institution from

  1997 to 2002 and identified themselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

  A patient was included in the study if a completed

  health care proxy was available in her chart. Data were

  derived from the health care proxy and from the Mount Sinai

  School of Medicine’s Blood Product Checklist for Jehovah’s

  Witness Patients. Variables of interest included age, race,

  parity, and antenatal and perinatal complications.

  RESULTS:

  A total of 61 patients were identified. Of these,

  39.3% agreed to accept a variety of donated blood products,

  9.8% would accept donated packed red blood cells, and

  50.1% would accept neither from a homologous donor. With

  respect to nonstored autologous blood, 55% of respondents

  would accept either intraoperative normovolemic hemodilution

  or transfusion of their own blood obtained by a cell

  salvage system. No significant differences in responses were

  noted for any of the above-mentioned variables.

  CONCLUSION:

  This review refutes the commonly held belief

  that all Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to accept blood or any of

  its products. In this population of pregnant women, the

  majority were willing to accept some form of blood or

  blood products. This information can be used to help

  health care providers counsel a patient when she is initially

  faced with considering these issues and may help to remove

  the stigma of accepting one of the options. (Obstet Gynecol

  2004;104:541– 4. © 2004 by The American College

  of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.)
• 

  moanzy

  I did, since I inherited RH negative blood. To insure the safety of my babies I had no choice but to except Rhogam.

  Moanzy
• 

  crazyblondeb

  I think most of you might have read the thread where I told of one of my adventures working in ICU. I had a young child who had leukemia and had to have blood to live. The elders were there trying to look like they had some authority. One was trying to get the parents to take her from the hospital. They were acting like jackasses. I went to the dr. and told him what was going on and what to expect. Within 3 hours the legal departmen had guardianship of the child. And I had the priviledge of calling security to escort the elders out of the hospital!!! That was priceless!!! The mother later thanked me for taking the burden off of her. I've had several interesting run-ins with them over the years. What was funny was, they tried to have me not only removed from being the child's nurse, but wanted me suspended. My supervisor just laughed in their face!!

  shelley
• 

  Joyzabel

  good for you, Shelly
• 

  rebel8

  Interesting article. It appears to be a valid study.

  However, I did want to comment on the title of this thread. The study shows the patients in the study's sample indicated they would be willing to accept blood if the need arised. It did not show 10% of pregnant JWs accepted blood. Uncomplicated deliveries do not require blood products. In my state, hospitals transfusing patients as a result of delivering a baby are required to report it to the state, since it is fairly unusual...not that it doesn't happen, just that it's not the normal outcome.
• 

  jgnat

  Moanzy, congratulations on your choice. It was a choice, as other parents have refused, in faith believing that Jehovah would protect their children. Sometimes to their eternal grief.

  This is a great study. It shows that many JW's are willing to accept blood under certain conditions. It takes some of the stigma off for the patient.
• 

  richard

  Rebel8, of course you're correct. The thread's heading refers to this study only. Nevertheless, it may indicate a general trend that warrants further research.
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  Hello, Richard

  The review by Drs. Cynthia Gyamfi and Richard Berkowitz demonstrates that the WTS does not speak for all JWs on the subject of blood, and the article states this very well.

  The 10 percent figure in the Gyamfi/Berkowitz review of JW patients willing to accept packed red cells reminds me of another study published by Dr. Karen Benson showing that a full 10 percent of JW patients in her review accepted blood or blood products forbidden under the WTS' blood doctrine. (The Benson article is available online at http://www.moffitt.usf.edu/pubs/ccj/v2n6/article13.html ) The Gyamfi/Berkowitz also cites an earlier review involving Dr. Berkowitz finding that when a JW develops an obstetric hemorrhage the patient has a 44-fold increased risk of dying because of refusal to accept transfusions.

  It should be noted that of the roughly 10 percent of JW women who agreed to accept whole blood in the Gyamfi/Berkowitz study, none of them actually received a transfusion. According to the article, none of the 10 percent gave permission to transfuse whole blood under the duress of blood loss. That is, these women of their own accord and without imminent threat of poor health gave permission to transfuse whole blood! This is a slap in the WTS' proverbial face!

  Marvin Shilmer
• 

  M.J.

  I think most of you might have read the thread where I told of one of my adventures working in ICU. I had a young child who had leukemia and had to have blood to live. The elders were there trying to look like they had some authority. One was trying to get the parents to take her from the hospital. They were acting like jackasses. I went to the dr. and told him what was going on and what to expect. Within 3 hours the legal departmen had guardianship of the child. And I had the priviledge of calling security to escort the elders out of the hospital!!! That was priceless!!! The mother later thanked me for taking the burden off of her. I've had several interesting run-ins with them over the years. What was funny was, they tried to have me not only removed from being the child's nurse, but wanted me suspended. My supervisor just laughed in their face!!

  Excellent! You don't know how much satisfaction it gave me to read that account. I dealt with the elder jackasses and the HLC jackasses when my wife was in a "no blood" situation in the hospital. They already constantly hammer on the R&F the need to reject blood. Why don't they just get out of their faces and totally leave it up to the individual while they're in the hospital? Each individual will have to deal with their fate and the fate of their children before God. I found that the JWs were so invasive in this respect. I wish they would just butt-out.

  I think maybe it's all about PR. Like the above article attests, the WTS doesn't want to have people disregard the ban in practice, because this would be bad publicity. Therefore they have to step up the pressure to ensure compliance.
• 

  ESTEE

  And I had the priviledge of calling security to escort the elders out of the hospital!!! That was priceless!!! The mother later thanked me for taking the burden off of her. I've had several interesting run-ins with them over the years. What was funny was, they tried to have me not only removed from being the child's nurse, but wanted me suspended. My supervisor just laughed in their face!!

  Welcome to the board crazyblondeb!

  That mother was certainly blessed to have you as her nurse. You are a very caring person, I figure. That is a lot more than can be said for the elders. Their actions show they only care about enforcement of their own man-made rules. Sad excuse for humans. Embarassment to the human race.

  Elders were obviously not concerned with helping the mother receive the treatment she required or requested, or looking out for her best interests, only enforcement of their own rules.

  Love and light

  ESTEE