Fertility decreases after caesarean section

aloha, like most things I expect it's a combination of the 2.

I had my first 3 babies naturally and all in the first month of trying. I had a missed miscarraige when trying for our fourth baby and then had to wait a while before trying again. It took about 3 months to conceive our daughter (now 16 months) and she was delivered by emergency section as she was breach and doing the splits (had been extended but decided to drop 1 foot so I had no chance of a natural birth). I then conceived when she was about 10 months old just a couple of months after finishing beast feeding, it was a total shock and we didn't really want another baby, but just as I was getting used to the idea I miscarried anyway. Well I had a positive pregnancy test last week which again was a shock (we really need to sort out contraception) but this time I felt really pleased but then started spotting and did another test on Friday which was negative. My own fault for testing too soon as it was obviously a failed pregnancy - not really a miscarraige as it happened at around the time my period was due, but nevertheless I was upset.
Anyway my point it - it seems that having a section hasn't decreased my fertility but I wonder if it is the reason for my failed pregnancies. I'm not sure - I know plenty of people who've had babies after section - posh spice for one! I think it's more likely to be my age - I'm 38 (39 in Nov), so maybe my baby making days are over.
I know I've been blessed with 4 beautiful children but we sadly lost our 4 year old son 3 years ago to a brain tumour so we always have the feeling that we are trying to complete our family. That can never happen now no matter how many children we have because Christopher isn't here.
Strange life isn't it!
Anyway that's my take on fertility after Caesarean.
Sarah x

I think you've hit the nail on the head there Aloha.

I think that could very well be it.
On the other hand it could be that the surgery itself has an effect, but I think personally that it is more likely to be the former, so instead of clamping down on caesarians the emphasis should be on providing a better birth experience for women who want a vaginal birth with proper kind and sympathetic midwives who are present throughout etc etc.

Sorry- i.e. that a couple chose not to have further children because of traumatic birth experience not because of caesarean-induced medical reason. Hope you understand this gibberish and what I mean.

My understanding was that it could be because of a horrendous birth experience that ended in a caesarean rather than the actual caesarean itself IYKWIM.

One of my oldest friends had IVF to conceive (they could have naturally but it would have taken years but her parents paid for it because they were in a hurry to get grandkids- long sad story involving loss of their eldest child )

Anyway, her baby was born by C-Section, yet she conceived her next baby within six months of starting to try naturally.

dd1 - 3rd month
dd2 - 1st month (both girls c/s)

totally agree with aloha.

i tried for years to get pregnant with my first, had an em c-section

2nd child got preg, ahem, first attempt

not true in my place either

Balony.

section with dd1, pregnant with dd2 after 2 attempts.

I've seen this before and thought there could be a zillion reasons why this could be so - that caesarians are normally the result of either problematic/risky pregnancies (pre-eclampsia, placenta praevia, obstetic cholesis (spelled wrongly) multiple births) or of prolonged and complicated deliveries. Any and all of which could easily make a woman decide to wait longer before having another baby or to not have another child. If you nearly died giving birth you might not want to risk it again. Also, caesarians are more common in older mothers who may well be less fertile for reasons which have nothing to do with the mode of birth. And people who have had fertility treatment and thus has multiples are also less likely to go on to have another child.
Of course it's worth doing more research to see exactly why this association occurs but I really think it is far too early to make any assumptions that caesarians themselves impair fertility. I had a caesarian for ds and got pregnant with dd at the age of 40 after one, ahem, attempt.

I had fertility treatment to conceive DS who was delivered by caesarean.
Have just had DS2 after conceiving naturally who was also a CS birth.
Dh is being sent to the doctors

interesting

I conceived within 2 months with DSn and had a c-section delivery

for 2nd child DD .. it took almost 2 years plus clomid

Lol no

I've had 3 sections and the longest it ever took me to get pregnant was 3mths.