To want a C section after haemorrhage during labour?

[Bananaparp]

During my last labour I lost a lot of blood. I was rushed from midwife led care to the consultants in the hospital and needed a drip. I am now pregnant again and concerned about it happening again.

WIBU to push for a C Section? I’ve had 2 previous natural births and this is my last baby.

I had an elective c-section 2nd time around for the same reason. I don't think the risks are much different medically but it certainly allowed me to relax for the remainder of the pregnancy and the birth was unbelievably smooth. Talk it over with your consultant x

They don’t know what caused the IPH so don’t really know how likely it is to happen again. I’ve faced much resistance from any medical staff to have anything other than a vaginal birth. I can’t help but worry what if it happens again only worse? A C Section would at least make me feel more in control of the situation.

I did have my waters broken after labour had stalled and then cervix dilated very quickly. Don’t know if this could have contributed? Midwife says not.

I think if you frame it as “I’m worried re risk of bleeding so I want a caesarean to prevent that” it may be interpreted by professionals as your main reason for asking for an elective Caesarean section is to reduce that risk (that is what I would do- try to address the risks and address the risks perceived by the patient). If they think, having looked at your notes, that c/s may increase your risk of that very thing, this may be the source of the reluctance. Obviously, it you’ve said you want an elective c/s for maternal anxiety then what I’ve said isn’t relevant.

Again, I would urge you ask to speak to your obstetrician to discuss the pros vs cons of vaginal delivery vs elective Caesarean section. Then you will know what the likely risks are for you specifically, as well as more general risks (infection/surgical injury or tearing/birth injury, for example- these can be harder or impossible to predict). You may still choose an elective c/s for anxiety reasons but you will be doing so from a place of knowledge rather than guess work.

I also had a PPH at c section and needed a transfusion. Nobody on here can answer this for you - you need to sit with your consultant and your notes and take it from there.

I had a PPH in my last C-section but my first was fine. It's more risky than vaginal labour on the whole, but as you can see from the comments on here, there are people who've done better with a section, and those who have done worse.
Every pregnancy is different, even in the same woman. So difficult to predict exactly what will be the best way to go, only on risks and probablities, which aren't fail safes.

I had a vaginal birth for first labour, but ended up in theatre with a forceps delivery, haemorrhage after delivery, shaking so much the nurses wrapped me in a foil blanket and tipped the bed so my head was lower than my feet, tranfused for 2 days and iv antibiotics. When I got home 5 days later I was very weak and felt unwell for a couple of weeks, surprisingly no one discussed delivery for my next pregnancy. Happy to say it went brilliantly, just gas and air, labour start to finish just under 6 hours, after such a crap first time, I felt fantastic, empowered and on top of the world, so what I would say, is that it may not be negative the second time around, fingers crossed OP and good luck :)

I think you're perfectly justified in requesting a C-section given that you understandably sound very anxious about it happening again. I know after my PPH I spent my next pregnancy obsessively researching the chances of it happening again, and it was quite difficult to deal with.

I seriously considered requesting a C-section so that if I did have a PPH, I would at least already have effective pain relief in place while they dealt with it. I found the process of treating my PPH incredibly painful and upsetting.

As it turned out I had a very easy, uncomplicated birth, luckily.

I had a PPH with my first and then a large bleed following a miscarriage. I went natural for my second and it was ok but they managed the birth far better. For my third I chose a csection for other reasons and lost a normal amount of blood.

Just my history but I think a well managed delivery can avoid a PPH

By the way - there is vitamin e in more pregnancy multivitamins. I stopped
taking it in my second pregnancy at 30 weeks. Maybe a coincidence but it does lessen blood clotting

Has your midwife referred you to a consultant?

I also have had several LLETZ procedures. I have been told this can either make your cervix weaker or conversely harder to dilate. Doctors have previously remarked on the scar tissue. So I’m thinking it might end up as an EMCS anyway.

I have had a consultant appointment but they mainly just focused on my low BMI and previous LLETZ procedures. I will bring up the haemorrhage issue next time I see her.

I had a pph after I had my second child. I was induced due to having ore eclampsia. I heard that being induced can increase your risk. I went on to have another baby without induction and no pph.