Too fat to have a baby
Kate Jones, medical reporter
14jun05
A PREGNANT woman has been labelled too fat to give birth at her local hospital.
Lisa, who is 109kg and 164cm tall, was told by staff at Werribee Mercy Hospital that her delivery was deemed high-risk because of her weight.
A midwife told Lisa, who does not want her surname revealed, that she would have to lose 8kg if she wanted to give birth at the hospital.
The shocked mother of two, then almost seven months pregnant, felt humiliated.
"I know I'm overweight but I don't think I'm as disgustingly humungous as they've made me feel," Lisa said.
"I'm curvy, but there's nothing wrong with me -- I can run and do all the normal things."
Despite Lisa's protests, the hospital has not reversed its decision to send her elsewhere.
The hospital's director of medical services, Dr Peter Longmore, said women with a body mass index of more than 40 were not permitted to give birth at Werribee Mercy Hospital. Lisa's body mass index is 41.
Body mass index is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in centimetres squared. It does not take a baby's weight into account; at seven months, Lisa's fetus weighed approximately 1kg.
Dr Longmore said pregnant women deemed severely obese faced serious complications during childbirth.
"Women like Lisa are at increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and postpartum haemorrhage," Dr Longmore said.
"The size of the baby may be large and it can get stuck, and that could also be an issue.
"At the end of the day, it's about the safe delivery of the baby and the wellbeing of the mum -- that's our main concern."
Since the hospital's obesity policy was introduced 12 months ago, 10 to 15 obese women have been advised to give birth elsewhere.
Rosebud Hospital has a similar policy: women with a body mass index of more than 35 are referred to nearby Frankston hospital.
Lisa gave birth to her first two children at the Werribee Mercy, but admitted that she weighed a lot less during those pregnancies.
The Hoppers Crossing woman was 88kg when she had her first child five years ago, and 101kg with her second child two years ago.
Lisa is due to have her third child in August and has booked a place at the Royal Women's Hospital.
