Malpractice suits

The threat of malpractice suits is prevalent in Western countries where medical malpractice has been on the rise for many years. These lawsuits have seemingly become acceptable ways of augmenting one’s income in the United States. Obstetricians are particularly vulnerable. The likelihood that an obstetrician/gynecologist will be sued for malpractice is 2.4 times the average. Many obstetricians are justifiably concerned that if they do not do everything possible for a “perfect baby,” including performing a cesarean section, they will be blamed at high risk for a suit. To avoid this, the obstetrician may perform a cesarean in the name of “defensive medicine.” He can therefore prove that he did everything possible (Jones, The Expectant Parent’s Guide to Preventing a Cesarean Section, 1991). There are many kinds of malpractice. In Los Angeles in the early 90s, several priests and clergymen were sued for clergy malpractice when they were suspected of sexually molesting a young lady parishioner who became pregnant.