Has it occurred to anyone else how implausible it would be for a doctor, especially Chen, and a registered nurse to have sex, apparently somewhat casually, without using protection from both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases?

-- indira (indira54@netscape.net), November 18, 2000

Answers

She stated that 'condoms don't always work'. It was a real accident.

-- spring (spring@aol.com), November 18, 2000.

It's about as "implausible" a development as a doctor who routinely treats drug addicts, as well as having his own cousin be an addict, to get addicted to drugs.

In other words... doctors and nurses are only human, too. They can dispense medical advice all they want, but they aren't immune to being stupid.

-- Tracy (bankybooda@aol.com), November 18, 2000.

People have sex. Even smart people who are meticulous and careful.

People get pregnant -- even smart people who are meticulous and careful.

It happens.

-- Mike Sugimoto (phloem@fumbling.com), November 18, 2000.

Did Chen actually say it had been an accident? Because I thought that was what Ming-Na had said about her own pregnancy, stating that it was not planned by her and her husband. I don't really remember Chen talking about it. Well, just wondering...

-- Anne (annebercher@gmx.de), November 18, 2000.

In "Mars Attacks" Carter said "So I take it this wasn't planned?" or something like that. I don't remember the exact words he used. Then Chen said "No."

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), November 18, 2000.

I too don't remember Chen saying specifically anything about condoms, just that the pregnancy wasn't planned. There was an article about Ming-Na in TV GUIDE a couple of weeks ago where she said she (Ming- Na) wasn't planning to become pregnant and that the failed method of birth control was a condom. It wouldn't surprise me if ER didn't use this as the reason on the show too because they often use tidbits of the actors' real lives for character background, but I don't remember their having used this directly...yet.

-- Diana (dilynne@juno.com), November 19, 2000.

Well, I guess it would have been a little *weird* if Chen told Carter something like: 'You know, it was an accident, the condom didn't work'

-- Anne (annebercher@gmx.de), November 19, 2000.

The whole question, "So this wasn't planned?" is stupid to begin with. Duh! Of course it wasn't planned otherwise Chen wouldn't be so upset about the pregnancy. I can only take to mean that Carter was subtely trying to find out exactly what *protection* didn't work.

-- Jane (lc@centuryinter.net), November 22, 2000.