In an interview with the “Today” show’s Jericka Duncan, Brittany Watts, the Ohio woman who came disturbingly close to being charged with “abuse of a corpse” for having a miscarriage, shared further details on her ordeal and what she was put through by the hospital that was supposed to be caring for her.
Now, we already know she went to Mercy Health-St. Joseph’s Hospital on two other occasions before her water broke and that she was turned in by one of the nurse’s there. That was bad enough, but the whole story is even worse than that.
The first time she went to the hospital, it was because her water broke. She was told, by the doctors there that the pregnancy was not viable, that the child would not survive.
Then, it turns out that the second time she went to the hospital — when she assumed, given that her doctor had told her it was a nonviable pregnancy, that she would have an induction — she was there for 11 hours. Eleven hours! And during this time, they referred Watts’ case to the hospital’s ethics committee … because she reportedly said the word abortion. Which, to be clear, is what an induction is when it is a 21-week nonviable pregnancy.
They wrote:
Extensive conversation with [REDACTED] re: staff concerns about Brittany's verbalization to staff that she wishes to terminate the pregnancy and continues to mention she feels that she is getting or consenting to an abortion. To clarify, ethics supports induction of this patient if it it the professional judgement of the physicians that Brittany is at high risk of bleeding and or serious infection that could lead to death. To be clear with Brittany, if induction occurs, there should be a well documented conversation with her (informed consent) that the procedure is only to prevent harm to her, and is not intended to terminate a potentially viable pregnancy. I would recommend good communication and documentation from any and all providers and caregivers on the intent of the treatment/plan of care so there are no misunderstandings about induction. Also recommend clear and supportive communication with all members of the care team to ensure plan of care is well understood.
Again, the doctors at that very hospital already told her that it was a nonviable pregnancy. What did they want to happen? Did they want her to just keep carrying a nonviable fetus until something bad actually did happen to her?
Watts was 21 weeks pregnant. Ohio, at that point, allowed abortion up until 22 weeks — so if Watts hadn’t gone to a Catholic hospital, she very well could have had an “abortion.” An abortion that would have saved a lot of people a lot of trauma.
The fact is, they are the ones who put Watts in the situation she ended up in, because if they had just done the induction in the first place, she never would have miscarried at home, alone, into a toilet, putting her health at risk. What did they think was going to happen?
To make matters worse, Watts says that the very nurse who comforted her as she was freaking out and told her “everything was going to be okay” not only turned her in to the police, but also straight up lied to them about what Watts said to her.
Watts told the nurse that she didn’t look — likely because she was scared and traumatized and didn’t want that image burned on her retinas forever, but the nurse told the police that Watts said she didn’t look because “she didn’t want the baby,”
But there was no baby to want. There was not a chance in the world that Watts was going to look at that toilet and find a living baby, but the nurse clearly presented it to police as if there were such a chance that this is what occurred. She was only 21 weeks pregnant and had already been told, by doctors at that very hospital, that the fetus was not viable.
The nurse purposely portrayed a grieving woman who had just miscarried as a callous, uncaring Medea — to what end, we shall never know. Watts believes that she was targeted because of her skin color, and that is very likely true as well.
This never should have happened to Watts. It never should have happened because she should have been induced as soon as they knew the pregnancy was not viable. It never should have happened because a woman who has a miscarriage should not be charged with a crime one assumes is traditionally committed by necrophiliacs. It never should have happened because that damn nurse should have minded her own business.
Watts says that she is now going to dedicate herself to making sure no one else ever has to go through what she went through — as much as that shouldn’t be something that anyone should have to fight for to begin with.
PREVIOUSLY:
Okey-Dokey, this is a trigger story for me.
My not-then-yet wife and I went through this over New Year's, 1995.
There was never any talk of charges. Our baby did die. Because at that 19-21 weeks stage, they don't have lungs yet. And they develop lungs by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid; so if that's all gone, that ain't gonna happen.
Our issue wasn't a malevolent nurse but a malevolent perinatologist. It wasn't a Catholic hospital, but it had been before being bought up by a non-religious hospital chain.
Otherwise there are many similarities.
When I get to The Bad Place to spend eternity, I'mma find that perinatologist and kick 'im in the 'nards. And I'll look out for this nurse on Ms. Watts' behalf, and I'll hold her for her.
Not going to continue the tale because it shreds me to this day and I have stuff to get done.
[carefully puts cheesecake back in the fridge so she doesn't throw it against the wall in rage]
Fuck that nurse. Fuck that hospital. Fuck the Republican Party. Fuck the RepubliKKKans on the Supreme Court. Fuck DJT.
And, just for good measure, FUCK TED CRUZ.