Podcast Summary: Something Was Wrong – S23 Preview

Introduction

In the S23 Preview episode of Something Was Wrong, an award-winning docuseries by Broken Cycle Media | Wondery, the host delves into harrowing accounts of trauma and recovery experienced by survivors of crime and abuse. This episode specifically sheds light on the dire state of maternal healthcare in the United States, highlighting a distressing case from a Texas birth center that underscores systemic failures and the urgent need for reform.

Trusting the Professionals

The episode opens with participants expressing their confidence in the healthcare professionals entrusted with their care. Participant 1 states, "Great. I'm safe with these people. They're professionals. If anything was to go wrong, they would recognize it as it was happening or before it was happening." (00:15). This initial trust sets the stage for the subsequent unraveling of events that contradict this belief.

Choosing Midwifery Over Traditional OBGYN Care

Participant 2 shares her decision-making process: "I believe my body will do what it's supposed to do. That's why I chose midwifery over the route of choosing an OBGYN doctor." (00:25). This choice reflects a broader trend among women seeking more natural birth experiences, often perceiving midwifery as a safer and more attuned option.

Expectations vs. Reality at the Birth Center

Participant 3 discusses her expectations: "I thought the birth center would be a happy medium between the hospital setting and the home birth setting." (00:39). However, these expectations are dashed as the reality of inadequate care becomes apparent. Participant 1 reiterates their trust in the professionals, mentioning, "We assumed that these people were professionals that were being regulated by the state of Texas. They claimed to be upheld to these really high standards of care." (00:45).

Emerging Concerns and Red Flags

As the birth progresses, signs that something is amiss begin to surface. Participant 1 notices visual disturbances: "I had spots in my vision. Jennifer told me that, oh, that's nothing to be worried about." (01:08). Concurrently, Participant 4 experiences medical issues: "It's not in my chart. But I was leaking meconium all night." (01:15). These symptoms are dismissed by the staff, raising alarm bells about the quality of care provided.

Violation of Standard Care Protocols

Participant 5 confronts the legality of the procedures being performed: "I said, is it illegal? And they nodded like, yeah, it's illegal." (01:20). This admission by the staff highlights a blatant disregard for medical regulations and patient safety. Participant 3 discovers discrepancies in records: "Then when I was taking the screenshots, that's when I realized, oh my gosh, they changed something." (01:28), further evidencing malpractice.

Inadequate Supervision and Risk to Patients

The lack of proper supervision becomes a critical issue. Participant 4 states, "To have a student taking care of someone without their preceptor there, to me, is below the standard of care. That is putting your client at a huge risk." (01:34 - 01:40). This negligence directly endangers the lives of both the mothers and their babies.

Life-Threatening Emergency and Aftermath

The situation escalates into a life-threatening emergency. Participant 1 vividly describes the crisis: "And this is when all hell breaks loose. This is a life threatening emergency. If we don't deliver this baby in the next few minutes, you are risking serious, serious harm and death." (01:49). Despite the gravity, the midwife responsible faces no legal repercussions: "Yes, the death was a homicide, but no, the midwife was not prosecuted in any way and as far as I know, continues to practice with no repercussions." (02:04).

Impact on Families and Systemic Failures

Participant 2 shares the devastating personal impact: "They had to do CPR. He didn't have oxygen for so long that he didn't have any brain activity. So my healthy 7-pound baby that was healthy throughout my entire pregnancy is now born with no brain activity and is in an ICU." (02:16). This tragedy underscores the broader maternal health crisis in the United States, with Participant 3 emphasizing, "Too many American women die in pregnancy. There's no question that in the United States there's a maternal health crisis." (02:36).

Fighting Against Patriarchal Systems

Participant 6 provides a broader socio-political context: "How could you do that as another woman prey upon someone's desire to take their autonomy and their body back from this patriarchal system that we live in." (02:47). This statement highlights the intersection of healthcare failures with systemic gender inequalities.

Call for Systemic Change

The episode calls for a deeper investigation into the root causes of such tragedies. Participant 1 cites a poignant quote: "At some point we need to stop pulling people out of the river and travel upstream and discover why they're falling in the first place." (02:59). This metaphor underscores the necessity of addressing systemic issues rather than merely treating their symptoms.

Exposing Regulatory Lapses

Further exposing the lack of oversight, Participant 4 reveals, "They didn't have a certificate of occupancy for the clinic in Dallas. We knew that they were changing birth records. We started reporting those things." (03:12). This revelation points to significant regulatory failures that allowed such malpractice to occur unchecked.

Commitment to Advocacy

Participant 2 expresses a determination to prevent future tragedies: "I knew what had happened should not have happened. I knew that if this had happened to me, it probably happened to other people and I had already made up my mind that I was going to try to do whatever I can to help other people from this tragic and horrific event that has happened to me." (03:22). This commitment underscores the episode's theme of survivor advocacy and the need for systemic change.

Conclusion

The S23 Preview episode of Something Was Wrong powerfully illustrates the catastrophic consequences of systemic failures in maternal healthcare. Through personal testimonies and critical analysis, the episode advocates for urgent reforms to ensure the safety and autonomy of women in medical settings. By highlighting the experiences of survivors and the pervasive issues within the healthcare system, the episode calls listeners to acknowledge and address the maternal health crisis in the United States.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "Great. I'm safe with these people. They're professionals. If anything was to go wrong, they would recognize it as it was happening or before it was happening." – Participant 1 (00:15)

• "I believe my body will do what it's supposed to do. That's why I chose midwifery over the route of choosing an OBGYN doctor." – Participant 2 (00:25)

• "We assumed that these people were professionals that were being regulated by the state of Texas. They claimed to be upheld to these really high standards of care." – Participant 1 (00:45)

• "I had spots in my vision. Jennifer told me that, oh, that's nothing to be worried about." – Participant 1 (01:08)

• "I said, is it illegal? And they nodded like, yeah, it's illegal." – Participant 5 (01:20)

• "To have a student taking care of someone without their preceptor there, to me, is below the standard of care. That is putting your client at a huge risk." – Participant 4 (01:34 - 01:40)

• "Yes, the death was a homicide, but no, the midwife was not prosecuted in any way and as far as I know, continues to practice with no repercussions." – Participant 5 (02:04)

• "Too many American women die in pregnancy. There's no question that in the United States there's a maternal health crisis." – Participant 3 (02:36)

• "How could you do that as another woman prey upon someone's desire to take their autonomy and their body back from this patriarchal system that we live in." – Participant 6 (02:47)

• "At some point we need to stop pulling people out of the river and travel upstream and discover why they're falling in the first place." – Participant 1 (02:59)

• "They didn't have a certificate of occupancy for the clinic in Dallas. We knew that they were changing birth records. We started reporting those things." – Participant 4 (03:12)

• "I knew what had happened should not have happened. I knew that if this had happened to me, it probably happened to other people and I had already made up my mind that I was going to try to do whatever I can to help other people from this tragic and horrific event that has happened to me." – Participant 2 (03:22)

This summary encapsulates the critical discussions and insights from the S23 Preview episode of Something Was Wrong, providing a comprehensive overview for those who have not listened to the episode.