Original Article – “Can We Please Stop Telling Pregnant Women This?”

I’m currently 29 weeks pregnant and have already lost track of the amount of times I’ve been told by people that ‘everything will be fine.’

Read complete article at:

Can We Please Stop Telling Pregnant Women This? | The Huffington Post

Dr. Evita Fernandez’s response on the article – “Can We Please Stop Telling Pregnant Women This?”
When I was a young obstetrician and not as wise as I am today, I often spoke these lines “don’t worry- everything will be fine” believing at the time that it was. Indeed the truth.

Today, I LISTEN very very carefully to the unspoken words of the young mother before me. I do my best to understand her fears and help her work through it all. I have learnt to believe in maternal instincts; learnt to listen to women when they express a fear repeatedly. I also know that a pregnancy can go horribly wrong. Sometimes there are tell-tale signs to warn and prepare both sides. Sometimes, one does not get the luxury of time to prepare for a loss or morbidity affecting the mother or her newborn.

It is important for us obstetricians to give women the freedom to ask questions, to clarify doubts no matter how small they may appear and more importantly, to LISTEN and become aware of the unspoken fears.

May this article help us understand a different perspective. May it induce us to reflect and initiate change wherever necessary.