The Skeptical OB

Since time out of mind human beings and microorganisms have been engaged in an accelerating arms race. Diseases have found novel ways to infect us and we have found novel ways to fight back. First we evolved genes that help us resist disease; much later we learned to use natural antibiotics produced by other living […]

Yesterday I posted a link to a piece about “doing your own research.” Unless you’re an expert in the field you’re “researching,” you’re almost certainly not able to fully understand the nuance and complexity of the topic. Experts have advanced degrees, published research, and years of experience in their sub-field. They know the body of […]

I’ve been writing for more than a decade about babies and mothers whose lives have been sacrificed on the altar of the British midwifery’s “Campaign for of Normal Birth.” Radical midwifery theorists believe “normal” birth is birth without pain relief or interventions of any kind, even interventions designed to ensure safety. Parliament has now issued […]

In the 21st Century United States we speak disparagingly of superstition. Superstition is supposedly a feature of backward, primitive cultures, not our culture. According to Wikipedia: Superstition is a pejorative term for any belief or practice that is considered irrational or supernatural: for example, if it arises from ignorance, a misunderstanding of science or causality, […]

What’s wrong with anti-vaxxers? Why do they cling to absurd and nonsensical conspiracies despite the fact that they’ve never been right in the entire 200 year history of the anti-vax movement? The dirty little secret: They’re psychologically weak and emotionally needy; anti-vax eases their sense of powerlessness and fills a desperate desire to feel both […]

I recently posted a series of memes on my Facebook page. They’re united by the theme: Conventional Medicine Wins! For example: No one calling 911 begs for a chiropractor of a homeopath. No one treats a venous snake bite with essential oils. Alternative medicine cannot cure fractured bones. In an effort to dispute my claims, […]

Contrary to the beliefs of its adherents, anti-vaccine advocacy isn’t about vaccines. It’s about the political philosophy of neoliberalism and the American predilection for paranoia. Neoliberalism places a premium on individual responsibility and minimizes the value of collective action. We see this in whose who venerate private industry and derogate goverment support. But we also […]

Is there anyone more gullible than a COVID denier? Hundreds of thousands of Americans are dead and deniers are still not sure the disease is dangerous. Mask use prevented million of cases but they wouldn’t wear them. New vaccines are dramatically effective with few reported side effects but they won’t take them. Why are they […]

It has long been known that C-sections are safer for babies than vaginal birth. Now a new study on maternal request C-sections shows that they may be safer for mothers. As the Times of London explains, Cesarean section no riskier for mother or baby: Women who plan to have a caesarean section are no more […]

Medical patients are uniquely vulnerable. Ill, in pain and immersed in a system where the professionals seem to speak a foreign language, hospitalized individuals require special ethical and legal protections to make sure healthcare providers do not take advantage of them. That’s especially true for unconscious individuals who are incapable of speaking for themselves. There […]