Complications or worse due to C section?

[small76]

When i asked my doctor about a cs, she said that quite a high number of people die as a result of having a cs. Maybe not during but afterwards.

Does anyone know of anyone where this has happened or of any serious complications they have had due to a cs?

Im scared stiff now!

[Elibean]

Nope! I do know that more women die from sections than from normal deliveries (then again, lots of them are having sections because they already have problems IYSWIM) but 'a high number' sounds incredibly misleading.

I know loads of people who've had sections, and none of them have died or had serious complications because of the surgery. There are risks associated with all operations, very small but real, but I don't know anyone they've happened to.

And I'm about to have a second one (high bp, mostly) and am looking forward to it

Wonder if your doctor was trying to promote vaginal delivery instead?? I'm all in favour of natural when natural is possible, but scaring someone about sections is not the way to go IMO.

[lulumama]

there are complications of course with any surgery....it is wrong of your doc to scare you. it might be a high number in relation to the number dying after vaginal delivery, but still not a massive number

was your doc trying to scare you out of having an elective c.s or was this just a general chit chat?

i had an emergency c.s..apart from an infection in my scar a few days later...which healed fine, i had no repercussions.

like eli..i know lots of women who've had sections..apart from pain, soreness, infection...nothing life threatening.

don;t be scared..but be aware it is major abdominal surgery with all the inherent risks..but can be a life saving procedure.

is this your first?

[jellybeans]

Hi, I have had 2 of each (natural and c/s) and also read alot on this. I am pg again and not sure whether will be having another c/s.

I had no problems with 1st c/s, but with 2nd had severe complications. It was OK at the op, it was afterwards when i had internal bleeding and went back to theatre, an artery was repaired, I lost 3/4 of my blood. The point is that they looked after me and I came out of it OK, but it made me see that there are risks with any surgery. I was higher risk as it was a crash c-section under GA and a twin pregnancy. I also had scar tissue from a previous c/s. They said it was very rare but one of those things.

I know alot of people that have had sections and only one other that had problems; an infection in the wound. Even if things go wrong which is very unlikely, chances of dying are very slim to none. Usually there is an associated problem that may contribute (VERY high blood pressure etc) I think very few people die each year and some studies have shown that hemorrhage happens just as much in normal births.

I am scared of another c/s due to last time but i know i will be looked after.

[cori]

I dont know any one personally, but a few women did die at the local hospital after there c sections, but that was due to negligence.
I think if it was actually a 'high' number doctors wouldnt be offering them as freely as they do.
I have had two and am not dead

[small76]

This is my 2nd pregnancy and my first was 47 hours in labour. And i carry b-strep which made my baby ill last time. all very traumatic. Its only 5 years on i felt right to have another.
But will never get over trauma of it.

This time I'm 7 days over and due to move house in just over a week. i do not want to be in hospital when we move and want to be with my son to comfort him as i know he will miss our house.
I would have loved to have tried a normal labour and delivery and have it proved that the first time was a one off hell.
But i carry b-strep again and with csections there is hardly any chance of baby being ill after due to b-strep.
Also i won't have the trauma of labour pain. As i now have a real phobia of labour. I cry everyday thinking about it, it scares me so much.

i am seeing my obstetrician in an hour to go through options. And until this morning never thought i would consider a cs, but now it is looking to be my best overall option.

I'm terrified and have no idea what to do, induction could fail; and be long and drawn out and traumatic again. but hubby would prefer this. Typical man. doesn't have to do it himself.

I'm exhausted.

[lulumama]

birth trauma association

these people can help you go through the distress of teh first birth

[twoisenoughmum]

"Quite a high number" is absolute rubbish and if this is what your Dr actually said then she is misleading you. I'm not absolutely positive about this, but I think there are more maternal deaths after c-sections than vaginal deliveries, but the numbers are still tiny these days, thankfully. What the statistics don't take into account, of course, is how many of the women would have also died if they'd given birth naturally. And c-section saves the lives of many babies.

In my entire circle of friends/ family/acquaintances/friends of friends etc, I have never heard of anyone having a complication after c-section and certainly not dying. And I must know at least 100 people who have had one or more sections (I've had two).

But sadly, only yesterday, a school Mum was telling me about her friend's baby who recently died of Group Strep B in one of the top London teaching hospitals.

From what you have said about the strep-b and the phobia, I really do think you are right when you say a c-section seems to be the best thing for you. Good luck!

[MKG]

It may not be the surgery but the anestesia and pain killers.

My sister was allergic to the anestesia used during her first c-section and she was throwing up while she was still on the table. Imagine having you're abdoman cut open and throwing up all day.

[lulumama]

birth crisis

also for helping recovery from a traumatic birth.

tell your obs exactly how you are feeling and why..and then you can reach the best decision together.....

HTH and sorry you are feeling so terrible

[dara]

I think your doctor is absolutely evil!
Fancy saying something so manifestly untrue to an already very scared and unhappy woman with a terrible birth experience behind her. I feel like punching her on the nose for you!
Yes, it is slightly riskier, but it is not true to say taht 'quite a high number of people die as a result of having a caesarean'. What do YOU want to do? I'd ask for another consultant. They aren't all like this. I also know loads of people who have had caesareans - my friend had her third about six months ago - and none are dead!

[blueshoes]

phew, thank god I survived my 2 cs (including one crash under GA) with no complications and a speedy recovery.

small76, there is no way any responsible doctor would use the term "high number". In fact, I attended 2 VBAC clinics and spoke to 2 consultants about the risks of an elective cs and at no point was maternal death even mentioned as a risk factor. No doubt women have died from poor monitoring post-surgery but that, as another poster said, is medical negligence.

My elective went fine and was a positive experience.

[FIMBO]

It was the epidural that was the problem for my with my 2nd CS.

Information here:-
Very rarely a slow leak of spinal fluid can occur afterwards and may cause a headache, meaning you have to lie flat for a day or so until the leak seals itself. Very occasionally a second injection has to be used to seal the leak.

I had to have the second injection - 3 times. The headache was chronic and I was constantly throwing up. I eventually felt better after the 3rd injection but didn't receive it until about a week after my ds was born. I was in and out of the hospital like a yo-you after my original discharge.

But my 1st section was a dream and nothing like my 2nd. I think a lot depends on the Dr and the anethestist [sp?]

[twoisenoughmum]

Just wanted to add that I positively enjoyed my second section. It was a good experience, I cried when I saw my baby and held him straight away etc. But then, like Blueshoes, my first was a crash caesarian under GA. It all depends on what you've got to compare it with, I suppose.

[TuttiFrutti]

What a load of rubbish! I would think about changing doctors.

I have seen the figures for maternal death, and although I can't remember them exactly, they are tiny. It's something like 4 in a million for C-sections and 1 in a million for natural births. You are more likely to die in a car crash on your way to the hospital. There are lots of reasons to avoid having a C-section, but worrying about "a high number of people dying" is not one of them.

[Daisymoo]

The risks are very small, but higher than 4 in a million. The research that I've read says that the risk of maternal death due to cesarean is somewhere between 9 and 28 per 100,000 compared with between 2 and 4 per 100,000 for vaginal deliveries. This varies depending on which research you look at. Perhaps your doctor meant comparatively high, which is not the same as a high risk.

[lissiew]

i carry gbs and had to have ecs due to horrendous labour there is a doc in the states who specialises in gbs i will find his link for you

[lissiew]

www.fertilitysolution.com/strep.htm

i don't know if this will help. stick to your guns, i kept telling midwife that something was wrong and she said i was neurotic. was v ill after birth coz gbs had reached uterus

[lissiew]

don't want to scare you though, sorry

[dara]

Maternal deaths after c-section are around 1 in 10,000. However, if you are given prophylactic antibiotics, this drops dramatically.

[Uwilalalalalala]

Caesarean ar a very routine and safe method of birth in the modern world. Comments like those of your Doc, small76, are generally designed to get NHs budgets and statitistics in line with some stupid Nice guideline.

Both methods of deliver come with risks. Did you doctor mention things that tear and break through the birth cnanl. No? Thought not.