I just cannot believe how much the AMA misses the whole, entire, friggin point. There are lots of women who CHOOSE not to want a doctor to 'treat' their pregnancy. But what the AMA wants, under Pesce, is to force doctors upon women who want a HB whether they want a doctor or not, just so that they get their cut of the friggin economic pie. It's not about safety or women at all. It's about getting a look in. They KNOW how successful the HB programs are overseas and they don't want it catching on!
So, even if an IM comes with you to a GP appt, the doc can still veto and THAT'S considered 'collaborative'.
No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!! If I don't want a doctor involved unless medically necessary, then I don't want a doctor, that's kind of the whole point of going HB!
If synto is so much a part of birth (as it is in Oz), then you would think that out of true concern for safety of birthing women, IM's would have access to this without the need to go through a doctor first. It is absolutely clear which way the bias lies.