Episode 9: The One With The Birth Mother
The One With The Birth MotherSeason 10, episode 9227th overall episode of FriendsChandler convincing the birth mother to give her baby to Monica and himself.Episode InformationAir dateJanuary 8, 2004Written byScott SilveriDirected byDavid SchwimmerEpisode GuidePreviousThe One With The Late ThanksgivingNextThe One Where Chandler Gets Caught
Episode 9: The One With the Birth Mother
Monica and Chandler go to Cincinnati, Ohio to meet the birth mother, Erica. The two try not to get their hopes up, but they're very excited that they're so close to being parents. Erica admits how she's intimidated by the couple - only the couple she's intimidated of is Reverend Monica and Dr. Chandler. Monica plays along with their fake identities, but Chandler thinks otherwise. He points this out to her, and that with the woman giving them her baby, the least thing they should do is tell the truth about their careers. The two admit the mistake in their record, to which Erica immediately refuses to give them her baby. Chandler talks privately to Erica, admitting everything the record didn't show about them: he feels regret for not being able to give Monica the child she's always wanted, and he wants to be a good father knowing that Monica is already a good mother even without a baby of her own. A few minutes later, he returns to Monica with some news - he has managed to convince Erica - and she's now willing to give them a second chance.
Chandler: My wife's an incredible woman. She's loving and devoted and caring. And don't tell her I said this, but the woman's always right... I love my wife more than anything in this world. And I... it kills me that I can't give her a baby... I really want a kid. And when that day finally comes, I'll learn how to be a good dad. But my wife... she's already there. She's a mother... without a baby... Please?
The tenth and final season of Friends, an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, premiered on NBC on September 25, 2003. Friends was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television. The season contains 17 episodes (with 5 double-length episodes, including the premiere and finale) and concluded airing on May 6, 2004.
The season premiere opens in Barbados, where the season 9 finale ended: Joey sees Ross, his best friend, and Charlie, his ex-girlfriend, kissing in the hotel lobby, then goes to Rachel's room, where the two of them also kiss. However, before going further, they decide to seek Ross' approval, but Ross finds them kissing, back in Manhattan, before they can approach him. Ross tries to hide his hurt, to no avail. Joey eventually talks to Ross about the situation and Ross seems to give his blessings. After several obstacles prevent Joey and Rachel from consummating their relationship (including Joey unable to untie Rachel's bra and Rachel accidentally kneeing Joey in the crotch), they decide to remain platonic. By the sixth episode, Ross is single again when Charlie reunites with her ex-boyfriend.
Mike proposes to Phoebe and they marry mid-season. Monica and Chandler decide to adopt a child, after discovering they are infertile. They are eventually paired with a young, expecting mother named Erica (Anna Faris) and buy a house in Westchester county. Rachel is scouted for a fashion buyer job with Gucci, but her current boss (Mr. Zelner) is seated at the next table, in the restaurant where she is being interviewed. She is fired by Ralph Lauren and rejected by Gucci, which leaves her unemployed. While cleaning out her office at Ralph Lauren, she runs into Mark, her former Bloomingdale's colleague (from Season 3), who offers her a job with Louis Vuitton in Paris. Ross, unaware and still in love with her, secures her job at Ralph Lauren, even convincing her former boss to increase her salary. However, Rachel chooses Louis Vuitton and Paris. Saying her goodbyes to everyone, Rachel goes to Ross' apartment last, where they spend the night together. Expecting Rachel to now cancel her plans for Paris, he is devastated when she does not.
Monica and Chandler fly to Ohio to meet the birth mother, Erica (Anna Faris) of their prospective child. It becomes clear very quickly their files have been mixed up since Erica thinks Chandler is a doctor and Monica is a minister. They go along with the lie but Chandler feels guilty. He soon convinces Monica to come clean which causes Erica to reject them. Chandler catches up to Erica and convinces her to still consider them. He tells her about their jobs and how much Monica wants this child and he feels horrible that he cannot give his wife this one thing. Erica decides they are the right couple and decides they can adopt her baby. Meanwhile, Joey is set up with one of Phoebe's friends but has problems on the date when she keeps eating off of his plate. Rachel and Phoebe take Ross shopping for clothes but Rachel and Ross's bags get switched. Ross goes on a date wearing Rachel's shirt but decides it is incredibly comfortable anyway.
The happy tears started flowing, though, after Chandler made his big plea to Erica (Anna Faris) to let them adopt her child -- telling her Monica "is a mother without a baby" -- and won her over on both Bings' behalf. Miss Chanandler Bong for the win.
The only relationship that could possibly eclipse Chandler and Monica is Chandler and Joey, and the episode where Chandler moves out is a prime example. Worried about how Joey will make ends meet without him, he invents the game "Cups," ensuring he'll lose to Joey no matter what. The ruse helps him give his pal $1,500 to pay the bills while preserving his pride. Too bad Joey lost it all later to Ross when he tried to teach him how to play.
Between 20% and 30% of pregnant women have antibody to HSV-2 [10, 11]. Women lacking antibody to both HSV-2 and HSV-1 have a nearly 4% chance of acquiring HSV-1 or HSV-2 during the course of pregnancy, while women seronegative for HSV-2 but seropositive for HSV-1 have a 2% chance of acquiring HSV-2 [12]. When a person with no prior HSV-1 or -2 antibody acquires either virus in the genital tract, a first-episode primary infection results. If a person with preexisting HSV-1 antibody acquires HSV-2 genital infection, a first-episode nonprimary infection ensues. Viral reactivation from latency and subsequent antegrade translocation of virus from sensory neural ganglia to skin and mucosal surfaces produces a recurrent infection. Identification of a primary or nonprimary first-episode genital HSV infection during pregnancy can be problematic in that, similar to nonpregnant women, a majority of these genital infections are asymptomatic or so clinically subtle that they are misdiagnosed. As such, it is not surprising that nearly 80% of women who deliver an HSV-infected infant have no known history of genital HSV lesions [13].
In utero (congenital, antepartum) HSV transmission, on the other hand, presents as a distinct clinical entity characterized by the triad of cutaneous findings (active lesions, scarring, aplasia cutis, hyper- or hypopigmentation), neurologic manifestations (microcephaly, intracranial calcifications, hydranencephaly), and eye findings (chorioretinitis, microphthalmia, optic atrophy) present at birth. This triad describes the classic findings of congenital HSV infection, but more subtle presentations can also occur. Intrauterine HSV infection has been found to occur with both primary and recurrent maternal HSV infections [21], although the risk from a recurrent infection is less. In utero transmission is exceedingly rare, with an estimated transmission rate of 1 in 300,000 deliveries in the United States [22].
Another prevention strategy recommended by ACOG is that cesarean delivery should be performed in women with active genital lesions (whether primary or recurrent) or with prodromal symptoms that may indicate an impending genital outbreak [9]. This practice has been shown to reduce the neonate's risk of acquiring HSV, although it does not completely eliminate it [14]. For maximum effect on risk reduction, cesarean delivery should be performed prior to rupture of membranes. If rupture has already occurred and genital lesions are present, cesarean delivery is still recommended. In women with a history of recurrent genital herpes but with no active lesions or prodromal symptoms at the time of delivery, cesarean delivery is not currently advised. Routine antepartum screening for HSV, whether by history, physical exam, or virologic testing, does not predict those women who are shedding HSV at delivery [30]. Testing of asymptomatic women at the time of delivery via culture or PCR also is not recommended at this time, although a multicenter clinical trial evaluating the feasibility of screening asymptomatic women at delivery with a new rapid-turnaround PCR kit is currently under way (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: "type":"clinical-trial","attrs":"text":"NCT01878383","term_id":"NCT01878383"NCT01878383). If such screening could be routinely performed at the time of delivery, it is possible that preemptive antiviral therapy administered to the neonate could play a role in disrupting mother-to-child transmission of HSV in women who are found to be asymptomatically shedding.
Samantha "Sam" Walker was a student at Tree Hill High School and the former foster daughter of Brooke Davis. Initially a rebellious teen, she instantly made a bad impression upon her arrival to Tree Hill by trying to shoplift from Brooke's store. Despite their rocky beginnings, Sam moved into Brooke's house, forming a close relationship which was shaken to the core when Brooke discovered Sam's involvement in her attack. However, they reconciled when Brooke faced her attacker, becoming mother and daughter. Sam developed a good relationship with Brooke's relatives, her mother and godson and her boyfriend and friends, especially Haley James Scott, Sam's teacher and Brooke's good friend. Sam eventually left Brooke to live with her biological mother. 041b061a72