How did Fengxia die?? - Huo zhe (1994) Discussion

[–] BARONLOVER 17 years ago

she haemorrhaged after the birth (a blood vessel broke/was damaged). It happens occasionally, but is usually able to be stopped before the patient loses too much blood. The medical students had not been properly trained, and there was no experienced doctor available to help as they had all been arrested or otherwise disposed of, so they had no idea what to do and were unable to stop the bleeding.

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[–] fashionslut 16 years ago

Yeah, the great irony is the only person who could save her was the professor who thanks to FuGui was bloated with half a dozen bread buns in his stomach.

That's another sad thing, FuGui is essentially indirectly responsible for the death of his father and two children.

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[–] Deidra 16 years ago

The larger ironic issue is that the two main characters may blame themselves or each other for the deaths of their children but actually both deaths are really caused by the decisions made by the government and the society at large. The decision to have the children stay out of school and help "produce iron" and the lack of sleep that everyone in the village suffered as a result-- these were the causes of the accident. And the Red Guard and elimination of all educated professionals in all sectors-from medicine to teaching hadsdisastrous results. it is heartbreaking but a deeply symbolic aspect of the film. (One of the best films ever by the way)

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[–] belljar666 16 years ago

I also learned in my chinese film class that though it seems Fugui is responsible for Youqing and Fengxia's deaths, they are really caused by the political policies

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[–] Fernuti 16 years ago

she started haemorrhaging after giving birth and the students didn't know what to do because they weren't properly trained. The real doctors were all in streets getting beaten up by the red guards.

During the cultural revolution, the red guards would go through places like hospitals, universities, factories and etc to beat up the "interllectuals". It was a really messed up period of communist China.

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[–] explodingplant 16 years ago

yeah i don't really blame fu gui. yes, he technically may be responsible for incapacitating the doctor, but the doctor should not have been famished and in jail in the first place. stupid red guard medical students calling the doctors liars and against the revolution and then-no doctors! they can't save someone like feng xia with their revolutionary enthusiasm.

i'd rather kill michael vick than a human or animal

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[–] fashionslut 15 years ago

The children sure you can push to political policies, but what about the father who died as a result of his gambling habits?

I'm very pro-communist and I don't think the party would ever set out to hurt its people. So it's *beep* that the party is somehow responsible for FuGui's incompetence.

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and i'll wait for the people without a sense of humour to attack that last paragraph haha.

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[–] ahoymematey2000 13 years ago

Yeah, even though this looked like a fake condition in the movie, this is something that can actually happen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uterine_rupture

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[–] hairycactus 11 years ago

ahoymematey2000: Yeah, even though this looked like a fake condition in the movie, this is something that can actually happen.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uterine_rupture

The cause is not likely to be uterine rupture -- this typically occurs during active labor, or sometimes during late pregnancy. On the other hand, the movie shows Fengxia developing hemorrhage shortly after the baby was delivered -- ie. primary/ early postpartum hemorrhage (occurring within 24 hours of delivery).

As such, the probable cause is uterine atony -- the most common cause of primary postpartum hemorrhage. Clinically, 75-80% of postpartum hemorrhages are due to uterine atony. Uterine atony results from the uterus being unable to contract (or contract quickly enough), while the placenta is separating from the uterine wall after the baby is born. Lack of uterine muscle contraction can result in acute hemorrhage.

Under normal circumstances, some postpartum bleeding is routine & occurs at a moderate rate while the contracting uterus closes off the blood vessels, as the placenta is being delivered. During this process, the doctor or midwife typically massages & presses on the abdomen (where the uterus fundus is located) to help the uterus contract more quickly, while trying to pull out the placenta by the cord.

There are various risk factors that might lead to postpartum hemorrhage. They include:
* An over-distended uterus due to a big baby
* Prolonged labor, or very short labor (less than 3 hours)
* Being of Asian ethnicity
* A retained placenta
* A low-lying placenta, etc.

For more info:

Postpartum Hemorrhage & Treatment (BabyCenter):
http://www.babycenter.com/0_postpartum-hemorrhage_1152328.bc?showAll=t rue

Why does heavy bleeding happen soon after birth? (BabyCentre UK):
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/x563483/why-does-heavy-bleeding-happen-soo n-after-birth

Postpartum Hemorrhage & Uterine Atony (Wikipedia):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postpartum_hemorrhage
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uterine_atony

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[–] soogi 10 years ago

Please don't put SPOILERS in thread subjects...

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[–] MarioBrandon 8 years ago

^ That's ignorant people for you.

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[–] purplish-1 8 years ago

The whole scene pisses me off. It's so gut wrenching. She starts hemorraging after giving birth, but she's a mute, so she can't see she's in pain. The medical students probably thought it was normal blood until they couldn't stop it. Even in this day and age, that kind of blood loss can require a transfusion, so you know Fengxia is a goner. And then the doctor ate six buns because he was starving, and they pour him hot water to wash it down (why the water is steaming hot, I don't understand. Is that a cultural thing? WTF is drinking water boiling hot). The buns basically expand in his stomach and he himself is palpitating and thinks he's going to die. In the end, he makes it but the poor sweet girl doesn't. Ugh I'm pissed just thinking about it all over again.

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