It was a lot to take in within such a short amount of time, but I got some other good talking tips from Brandy.  It was finally go time.  The last thing I wanted to do before I drove to the big city to sit under the bright lights was pop over to the Thinking Moms group to tell them I was on my way.  Their messages were enthusiastic:  Cat, you can do this!!! 

Here’s hoping! 

When I arrived at the studio, I was shown the green room and the main studio.  I’d be doing a remote interview that evening.  That meant I’d be in a studio all by myself while the news reporter spoke to me from another studio.  During the interview, I’d be sitting on a stool staring into a black monitor that housed a camera.  I could hear everything through an ear piece, but I wouldn’t be able to see the reporter or the video of the segment.  It wasn’t what I expected.  I had hoped to either be face-to-face or at least next to the reporter to pick up on her cues, but I put on my game face and tried not to be nervous.   

I had a peek at what the reporter was going to say and reread my notes: 
 



Prevention—YES, please! 
 


1-in-88??—Um, hello! That is so last year’s rate.



 
Doctors declined—of course they did!  Who wants to admit they contributed to an autism diagnosis?

It was finally time to go live.  I was miked, did an audio check and stared into that black screen.  There was no turning back now.  Nor was there time to turn off my nerves.  Holy nervous Nelly! 
DC News FOX 5 DC WTTG
Can I Get a Rewind?

As you can see in the link I’m no Hollywood super star.  Everyone says the first time is the hardest which I can absolutely attest to.  Since there’s no rewind button to do this particular interview again, here’s how I would’ve responded without the pressure, the bright and blinding lights and the bundle of nerves that kept me from smiling on camera:

Reporter:  Should pregnant women be concerned (about the results of this study)? 

Cat:  This study has many holes in it.  Not enough data of each birth experience was reported which leaves me with more questions than answers.  As far as should pregnant women be concerned, my thought is this.  If the reason to induce is due to an emergency and/or to protect the mother or her child, then no, pregnant women shouldn’t be as concerned as the media might think they will be.  Medically necessary induction rates are much less than those of the elective induction rates that this study focused on. 

Now, if the reasons to induce labor are elective for the doctor’s convenience, then, yes, I would think pregnant women should be very concerned.  The concern would not about the study or about autism though.  It would be a concern for the woman’s personal needs and that they are not a priority for their provider. 

As we autism parents have done for so long, pregnant women must also arm themselves with as much information as they can before they step foot into a doctor’s office.  Their input is just as important, if not more, than what the doctor’s have been trained to say.  If a woman needs intervention, she should ask early what her options are.  I’d encourage expectant moms to be thorough with their research and to read as much as they can throughout their pregnancies.  She should read about the procedure and the drugs that will be administered—including the ones that are clearly not recommended for pregnant women but are often used to induce labor.  A good deal of information is available to women when they know where to start looking.  Two helpful resources are the Nurture Parenting website and Jennifer Margulis’ book, The Business of Baby.  Lastly, I’d recommend she hire a doula who can provide the pregnant woman with continuous physical, emotional and informational support during her pregnancy and the birth of her child. 

Reporter:  What if any advice do you have for parents out there who have children with autism and for moms whose labor was sped up or induced?

Cat:  How long can I talk?  Seriously.  I need at least an hour.  For the first part of that question I think parents like you and I need to be more vocal about what happened to our children.  We need to keep talking about it, about autism and about that the autism rates are still rising. 
Secondly, what would I say to moms whose labor was sped up?  Unfortunately, you can’t go back in time to change what happened.  But you can be proactive now.  Find resources.  Look for therapy and for appropriate intervention.  Get started as soon as possible, and stick with it.  Since it can be very overwhelming, find a support group to guide you.  Over time, as you read, research and discover that certain procedures and medical interventions you opted for may have a link to autism, learn more about it.  Read, research, ask questions and do it all over again until you have a good understanding of what happened and why.  If the side effects can be reversed, try to do just that.  Autism is medical.  It can be treated.  Happily, for some, autism can also be reversed. 
Reporter:  Cathy, in your circles, are people talking about this study?

Cat:  Yes, and not in a good way like mainstream media probably thinks.  When I first saw the link go by my news feed I laughed.  It had only been, what, 4 few weeks, since the IVF-autism study was shared?  When these “studies” come out, I can’t help but wonder what is being covered up in other autism news?  And, come on, media! It’s not the 1950s.  Stop blaming moms for autism.  If you want to do something that’ll make everyone want to read and share your stories, get someone to investigate the overinflated vaccine schedule and how it’s messed up so many children’s childhoods.  I guarantee that’ll make front page news. 

If I knew what the protocol was during the final seconds of the segment, when Yancy said,
Reporter:  More studies need to be done…

I would have interrupted and said:

Cat:  Well, not entirely. I’d prefer more action be done than studies.  People need help now.  Sure, it would be nice to have more definitive answers as to all the causes of autism, but look at what the other studies are saying causes autism:  old dads, moms with big boobs, college-educated parents, living near a freeway, prenatal ultrasound, Tylenol use, jaundice, larger head size and watching TV.  Enough already!  Families working through an autism diagnosis are in crisis.  They need support.  Why not take some of those valuable research dollars and put them into intervention programs and biomedical treatment options?  Studies cause speculation and delays.  Action can help people right now.
 
Annnnnnnd, cut.

What an experience!  I am glad that in the actual interview I did remember to use key words and phrases like environmental trigger, unnecessary elective procedure, do your own research, ask questions until you get a good answer, the current autism rate is alarming and parents should be concerned about it. 

Fast Forward to Now

All week since the interview I’ve been thinking about the study and the pressure it will put on women.  This study does nothing more than raise alarm bells for pregnant women and future pregnant women.  Fear, worrying and possibly being bullied by a provider to give birth earlier than necessary is no way to go through pregnancy.  I also believe this study will make parents second guess a decision they made years ago that they can never take back. 

I made sure to email the news reporter the next day.  I said thank you for the opportunity to be on the news.  Her response was encouraging as she said she’d make sure the producers had my contact information for future stories about autism.  I’m glad because as thrilling as it was to correct the reporter about the autism rate, it is troubling that both this station and several websites that posted the induced labor study have the incorrect autism rate.  Sadly, some people are not doing even basic research on such an important issue. 

We all know that whenever human development is interrupted, or when chemicals are injected, ingested or slathered on the body, potential risks that cause irreparable damage can occur.  Messing around with nature and adding increased stress isn’t going to do expectant mothers or their unborn child any good.  Additionally, if a woman is being told that the tiny human being she’s carrying in her womb isn’t worth another two or three weeks of development, I’d hope she already have that mother’s intuition to question why.  What’s the rush to get life started?  Is it really too much to wait it out?  We’re learning that our kids’ physical, mental and emotional health greatly depends on. 

Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.