A Black mother, Cherise Doyley, a professional doula and mother of three, was in active labor at a Florida hospital when she refused a repeat C-section, choosing instead to attempt a vaginal birth after previous cesarean deliveries.

Because doctors believed a vaginal birth carried serious medical risk (including uterine rupture), the hospital sought an emergency court order. While still in labor, Doyley was brought into a Zoom courtroom from her hospital bed without legal representation, where a judge, doctors, and hospital staff debated her case in real time.

During the hearing, she stated she understood the risks but wanted to avoid another surgery due to traumatic past recoveries and concerns about caring for her children afterward. The judge ultimately did not immediately order surgery but allowed the hospital to proceed if an emergency arose.

Later that night, the baby’s heart rate dropped and she underwent an emergency C-section. The baby survived and was admitted to the NICU. Doyley later spoke out, saying the experience felt coercive and deeply violated her bodily autonomy.

The case has sparked broader discussion about maternal health disparities in the U.S., especially the treatment of Black women in hospital settings, informed consent in childbirth, and the overuse of medical coercion during labor.