As we have seen in other centers, at the Monforte de Lemos Hospital (Galicia) the right to give birth with epidural anesthesia is not guaranteed due to the lack of anesthetists.
The fact is that of the usual staff of six anesthetists, some are on leave due to various circumstances and others will soon go on vacation, leaving only two professionals in the hospital and only one available for emergencies.
The pregnant women who are about to give birth have shouted in the sky and claim their right to have their epidural applied at the time of giving birth if required or if an emergency arises such as a caesarean section.
They have made protests and have managed to have Ourense anesthetists make guards at the Monforte Hospital or whoever wants to be transferred to another hospital (Ourense or Lugo) where they guarantee the application of the epidural.
As I said on other occasions I believe that every woman has absolute right to choose how she wants to give birth. If what you want is the epidural to not suffer pain, a service that all centers should offer, you must have it. I would also be unnerved if they decided on the pain I should suffer in childbirth or not.
But another question that arises is the lack of information when preparing women for childbirth. It does not justify the lack of anesthetists in this case, but will anyone have informed pregnant women that there are alternative methods to relieve labor pain? Perhaps more than one would have wanted to be interested in these techniques and maybe apply them. Others probably still prefer the epidural, and they should have it. It is a choice that everyone should make.
I think that in this case a bad constant happens again in the delivery care. Parturient rights are not guaranteed and they are not adequately informed of possible alternatives.
