CS

[marthamydear]

Hello everyone,

I'm 18 weeks pregnant and I'm wondering if you are able to request a CS on the NHS?

I'm scared witless about giving birth, and it's a genuine fear.

My sister said you are only given a CS with the NHS if there's a medical reason.

Thanks in advance

[llandb]

Guess it's the wrong time of night for people to see this, so bumping it for you :)

I'm basically ignorant, but to the best of my knowledge, your sister is right

However, I have heard anecdotally that psychological factors (fear of birth) can count as a valid reason

I expect you would need a referral to a consultant obstetrician, which you would have to convince your GP or midwife to do for you. Presumably there would have to be ground for this - usually med. reason - might pay to find advice from here as to which cogent arguments to use with GP/MW to get a referral, and again with consultant.

No idea whether a consultant would ok it, or whether there would be some other protocol to follow (such as requiring that you seek counselling)

Just guessing really, and mostly just bumping for you :)

[daisystone]

bumping again for you!

[japhrimel]

Try looking on the childbirth forum and looking up tokophobia.

TBH it is pretty normal to be scared of giving birth. It has to be really really severe to be tokophobia.

[Marrow]

Have you considered hypnotherapy? It could really help you overcome your fears as well as teaching you some excellent techniques for giving birth.

[ANTagony]

I've had two and I'm down for a third with no.3 in the new year. I've been with four health authorities over my pregnancies and so had four consultants. Each has had very different opinions on reasons permitable for CS. My first was after an induction with severe SPD and then when fully dilated there were problems with being able to get into a position to give birth and I was exhaused after several days of labour, the second I wanted natural - and had been very much pushed this way by consultant no.2 then went 14days over (by this time under consultant no.3 in a different area) I had two sweeps and a trial of labour which subsided went 14 days over and had a wonderful CS birth with DS2 where I wasn't tired and had a quick recovery. So onto no.3 and the registrar has told me that my consultant will give me the choice with the only option being CS. As the pregnancy has developed there are other concerns about the placenta being anterior and possibly over the scar so CS would probably be the only option.

The long and short of it is it appears to vary enormously on the consultant you get referred to. I'm sure that if you express your concerns to your midwife you could ask for a referral to the consultants team to discuss realistic birth options for you and then talk through your options and maybe this could even alleviate some of your fears that if you are struggling with labour what the options then open to your are.

Good luck - those who don't ask don't get.

[trixie123]

The NICE guidelines (sorry, am too IT illiterate to link) do cite a proper phobia of birth as a reason but it does rely on the agreement of the consultant. If your consultant says no you can ask to see a different one. I have just ( I think) argued my way into an elective for DC2 after a horrible drawn out and ultimately useless induction last time but I did have to be quite forthright and I have also written into my notes that this is what I want. There are a number of threads about this on the Childbirth forum and I got some really helpful advice from there about how to argue your case. In a sense, if you are really phobic that becomes a medical reason because you will be in such a state it is not conducive to a good labour!
Best of luck

PS - the other option is to look at where these fears come from and to see if you can address them in any way in the coming months.

[Chynah]

I had a CS on the NHS with my first baby with no medical reason so it is possible. It was difficult to persuade a consultant though and you may have to ask for a second opinion (I did). Talk to your midwife and ask for a consultants appointment - don't let the midwife for you off as they cannot say yes/no to section only the consultant can. Good luck.

[marthamydear]

Thanks for your replies everyone, I am going to talk to my MW and explain my fears and see what she says. It's interesting to learn that you are able to request CS and in some cases get one on the NHS.

[marthamydear]

BTW - I've just looked on childbirth thread (for the first time)
Wish I hadn't (shock)

4th degree tear - WHAT?!

Double incontinence?! I had no idea you could tear so badly that it could affect your bowel functions.

God, I pray I get a c section on the NHS.

I think I'll stay clear of childbirth thread in the future x