When facts become feelings

Abstract

I have long maintained that equipoise between empathy and the rational, decisive nature of obstetric care is central to good doctoring. I had exacting standards for how to communicate facts with feeling while shielding my own. Then, after experiencing my own obstetric emergency and preterm birth, this changed. In this reflection, I explore how recognizing the intersections between facts and feelings has made me a better physician.

Keywords: medical decision making; preterm birth.