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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Personally, I think you are making a big deal about nothing.  It's an IV, not a c-section.  If you are THAT averse to medical intervention, you shouldn't be delivering in a hospital (or using a doctor).[/quote]

Or, she's an educated consumer who has read the research for best practice which states that standard use of IV fluid isn't indicated necessary for every labor. Hep-locks for easy IV access are a hospital policy of convenience. Standard IV fluid on the other hand, is not an evidence based practice. She has every logical reason (and right) to question her provider about this intervention.[/quote]

Heplocks are not a policy of convenience. Trust me, it's inconvenient to insert a heplock and it's inconvenient to remove it later. Both take time and a trip to the supply closet. It would be far more convenient to save that time and take care of the 1,001 things that need to be done during a shift. However - in the event of an emergency, that inconvenient heplock can save your life or have a significant impact on outcome. If your BP suddenly dropped, or baby's heart stopped beating, would you want te hospital staff to have to spend time looking for a good vein?  Good veins are often quite hard to come by when your body is on distress, or dehydrated, or you're hemorrhaging. The heplock is about being prepared for an emergency, not about making it convenient for the staff.

I'm on board with unmediated labor (had one myself) but find it utterly foolish to resist something as simple, yet potentially invaluable, as a heplock. Big deal - you get poked with a needle and have a canula in your arm. You're not tethered to anything - it is just there in case of emergency. I'd prefer the heplock to lost one if my or my baby's life were at stake. [/quote]

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