The obstetrician who helped deliver Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s second child Lilibet has shut her practice with little notice, telling patients she needs to ‘focus on my own health and be with my family’.
Dr. Melissa Drake made the announcement on Instagram, writing that working with the women of Santa Barbara had been “the honor of my life,” before announcing a “leave of absence” that will begin on June 30.
She assured patients that any operations or surgeries scheduled before June 30 would go forward, but she cautioned expectant mothers who had appointments after that time that they would need to switch practices.
Queen Elizabeth’s 12th great-grandchild, Lilibet, was born in Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital on June 4, 2021, under the supervision of Dr. Drake, a married fertility specialist with four stepchildren.
Pregnant women in the affluent area were shocked by the abrupt closure; one called the news “awful and handled horribly.”
She posted on the Santa Barbara Moms Facebook page, “Now there are hundreds of women (myself included) scurrying about trying to locate care.”
Another said the news had left her “devastated” and mentioned that at least ten other local ladies were looking for a new doctor.
It has been the honor of my life to work with the women of Santa Barbara, Dr. Drake stated on Instagram. I’m taking a break from work to take care of my health and spend time with my family.
“It is crucial that you continue receiving the proper medical treatment; as a result, you should get in touch with a new doctor or midwife as soon as you can.
“I appreciate you letting me be a part of the most intimate, meaningful, and significant days in your lives. Always with much affection.
On May 13, Dr. Drake announced that the practice would close on June 30.
Dr. Drake presided over the birth of Kay de Veer Ulanch’s twins; she called him a “unicorn” and referred to the practice’s closing as “a tragedy.”
She said, “She puts you in charge.” “You control the birth experience.” That is significant and unusual.
I realize that seems dramatic, but she has helped so many families in such a positive way. You want the best for your child when you’re pregnant, and she is the best.
I hope we discover out what’s happening and that she returns.
Other patients described themselves as being “quite heartbroken” by the information, while Jorden Hirsch, a native of Santa Barbara, described it as a “huge loss for the town.”
Dr. Drake “always made her patients feel at ease, in control, and always offered them the right to say no,” according to Katherine Mueller.
The Santa Barbara Independent asked Dr. Drake for more details about why she closed the clinic, but she declined. In a statement, she said, “One of my most fundamental guiding principles is patient autonomy and giving power back to women.”
A turning point in people’s lives is represented by OB/GYN care. People who endure disempowerment and contempt after birth carry that with them for the rest of their lives.
It affects not just how people feel as parents, but also how they will engage with healthcare in the future.
Any lady who has had medical experience will likely mention light pressure in their response, she continued.
I strive to let patients know that even if they are making a choice that I disagree with, I will still do everything in my power to support them.
Dr. Drake declined to address why some patients refer to her as a union, but noted that the reason for her high rating was that “it is highly labor demanding.”
“This type of activity is not covered by the healthcare system’s reimbursement policies… But we merit this level of attention. All of us do.