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Original poster

To wonder if a c section can render you infertile?

77 replies

bingbangbing · 25/01/2020 20:48

Can't find any info on this.

I had an emergency section three years ago. Started TTC a year ago - nothing!

It took one month to conceive DD. One.

I suspect the section. Care was substandard in other ways- nightmares and flashbacks ever since.

Is this possible?

OP posts:
EmbarrassingMama · 08/01/2021 09:50

@bingbangbing how did your appointment go? I am one year behind you, just found out that my EMCS 2.5 years ago has left me infertile. IVF with ICSI my only chance of getting pregnant now.

How are you doing?

borageforager · 08/01/2021 09:52

A friend of mine couldn’t conceive a 3rd, which was in the end put down to the adhesions from her 2 c sections. But she had particularly bad scarring and adhesions.

WaxOnFeckOff · 08/01/2021 09:59

Nearly 4 years to conceive dc1, born by emergency section, some very poor aftercare, dc2 born by elective section 13 months later and conceived whilst breastfeeding. I'm not saying it's impossible for the section to have caused difficulties but I don't think it's the first port of call.

Changedforthisyear · 08/01/2021 10:03

I thought this after a section for the same reasons.

I had IVF with PGD in the end. Not the section at all, secondary infertility was due to egg quality.

The previous conception, on the first time of trying was a miracle.

hula008 · 08/01/2021 10:28

It's definitely documented that having a CS can affect future fertility (I think it's very rare that they cause actual infertility)

AFAIK there's not actually been much research into this but it appears to affect 20% of women who had c sections, compared with 5% who had instrument assisted vaginal birth.

I'd definitely have a chat with GP and then maybe a fertility service regarding this though. ❤️

hula008 · 08/01/2021 10:29

🧟‍♀️ caught me out!

Almostslimjim · 08/01/2021 10:35

Secondary infertility is real, and can have many causes. Lots of unexplained reasons too. It can happen after a vaginal birth and after a c section. A c section is not more likely to cause secondary infertility though.

Almostslimjim · 08/01/2021 10:37

It's definitely documented that having a CS can affect future fertility (I think it's very rare that they cause actual infertility)

Yes, usually issues like ruptures and abruptions resulting in premature birth, late miscarriage etc. Increased risk of still birth and implantation in to your scar is also a known risk. Actual infertility however is not a known risk (above VB).

LockedDownLife · 08/01/2021 10:43

Infertility can be male factor as well remember. Make sure your partner is taking supplements and living healthily. One of the first investigations will be a sperm sample to investigate this.

Yokey · 08/01/2021 10:53

@EmbarrassingMama

Are you sure it was the c section? I thought ICSI was for couples with sperm issues?

EmbarrassingMama · 08/01/2021 10:58

@Yokey his semen analysis was perfect and my AMH and follicles were great (plus I'm young so an added bonus). The ICSI was suggested as a belt and braces (not required), and because we're good candidates generally so it can't hurt. Everything else was ruled out and I had an ectopic after the EMCS so yes, sadly, it is infertility caused by adhesions resulting from the section.

KRoo22 · 08/01/2021 11:00

I conceived after a month with 1st, emergency section, then a year of TTC no success, 2nd year - two 12 week miscarriages. Then 3rd year - happy healthy DS2. I also had those thoughts but sounds common from others posts

nokidshere · 08/01/2021 11:07

It took me 17yrs to conceive my first child who was born by emergency csection, and 18 months to conceive my second.

ChikiTIKI · 08/01/2021 11:11

I got pregnant with first child in first month of trying. Second took a year and I had a miscarriage in that time. Both I believe are normal.

I didn't have a c section first time but did (out of choice) with second. I got severe ptsd from first birth. You should self refer through NHS for emdr or cbt for ptsd if you think you have it. I had emdr and it changed my life completely.

Yokey · 08/01/2021 11:23

@EmbarrassingMama

Ah okay. That sucks. Sounds like you have reasons to be positive about treatment though. Good luck with it.

praepondero · 08/01/2021 11:29

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

HighSpecWhistle · 08/01/2021 11:32

I don't know. But ive been pregnant 4 times (2 miscarriages). And one time it took us 11 months even though nothing had changed.

2 months
11 months
2 months
1 month.

So try not to read into it. Your GP should run tests after a year to check your hormones.

atotalshambles · 08/01/2021 11:36

I know someone who developed Ashermans Syndrome after an emergency CS. This led to secondary infertility. I think it is extremely rare however. I would imagine that the greatest predictor is age. No of eggs and quality declines with age and leads to it taking longer to become pregnant . Could you have tests OP to reassure you ?

OverTheRainbow88 · 08/01/2021 11:37

I know about 7 people who conceived first very fast and then struggled for a year or more to conceive baby number 2.

EmbarrassingMama · 08/01/2021 15:30

@praepondero what an insensitive and rude post.

I had an EMCS 2.5 years ago and the cause of my secondary infertility has been named as adhesions (scaring and abrasions) specifically related to the EMCS. So yes, it can happen and no, the OP is not stupid for asking the question.

itsgoodtobehome · 08/01/2021 19:09

I have often wondered the same OP. I had a cs with my DS. I was never able to conceive a second child. Even with 2 rounds of IVF. I always asked the doctors if they thought the Cs was a factor, but they always said no. I am not so sure, as I got pregnant twice fairly easily (first one was a mc) before that.

MobLife · 08/01/2021 19:15

How old are you OP?

peardrops1 · 08/01/2021 19:25

Hi OP (and others worried about this): I'll paste the link below to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 2014 study on whether c sections affect future fertility. It is, as far as I know, the largest and most reliable study to date (a huge sample size, and unlike other studies they controlled for other risk factors so the results are less likely to be distorted). Anyway, the conclusion is that the effect on future fertility is negligible if you're below 30, and extremely small even if you're over 30. So yes, there's theoretically a chance a c section could affect fertility, but in practice this is unlikely and the effect would be very small.

academic.oup.com/humrep/article/29/6/1320/626018

peardrops1 · 08/01/2021 19:37

Oh no, got lured in by a zombie thread!

OP, I hope things are going well for you now.

Shookspeared · 08/01/2021 19:49

@alifelived

It’s an interesting question and one that I asked my GP after my csection.

He said that you need to have had an overwhelming infection in your womb to be rendered infertile and there is no evidence that scar tissue from previous sections will make you infertile as the egg will have a whole other expanse of womb to burrow into.

I hope you conceive soon Flowers

I had a womb infection after my youngest that went septic and to double pneumonia. (Coma, ECMO, secondary heart conditions, a little bit of "technical" death thrown in).

It took a very long time to conceive baby I'm currently pregnant with. I'd thought the scar tissue might prevent it, as I was a mess inside.

I hope you get your baby soon OP Flowers

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