Why are doctors obsessed with method of delivery?

[Mushroo]

I might be being oversensitive as I really wanted a ‘natural’ birth and ended up with a c-section from failure to progress.

But, if we see the Doctor for my daughter (now 19 months old) they will ALWAYS ask the method of delivery.

I understood when she was a tiny baby, but when do they stop asking? It makes me feel like I’ve let her down and her medical issues are due to the c section.

What are the reasons they ask and when do they stop? Will I still be being asked when she’s 16?!

Newish research has shown that being exposed to the natural vaginal flora helps with children's immune system (i can't remember exactly hows or whats it helps exactly as I just read it in passing) so that could have something to do with the questions around her throat infection.
The thing is we know many of the risks and issues around children being born by c-section but in most cases its a straight choice between the life of mother and/or baby and a host of increased minor risks to the child (most of which can be treated very simply or are grown out of).
Many of the long-term severe issues are caused by the difficulties during labour that lead to the emergency c-section and unfortunately the delay in recognising the need for and/or preforming the c-section.
Noone is judging you on how your dc was delivered and you didn't fail as a mum.

My DD is 16 and we were most recently asked when she was 15. I assume they ask to build data around the impact of a c-section on a baby/child. I had no choice, it was c-section or we both die, but I do wonder if less women would choose an elective c-section if the impact on babies was better known.

Dd is 15 and I was asked last week by her physio. Like others have said it isn't meant to be a judgemental question or to blame you for anything. It's just to try and understand things more.

Oooh mine are both CS deliveries and I can't remember anyone asking (they are secondary schoolers now). I wonder if there are some studies going on linking CS deliveries to health issues. Both of mine had different variants of childhood asthma which I think could be linked (as no one else in the family had it) but both outgrew it by school age. OP, I would not feel guilty in the slightest but just think yo yourself that by answering the question you are helping medicine get better in some way!

Btw both of mine are now healthy, sporty strapping kids so the CS delivery didn't set them up for a lifetime of health issues. X

If the OP is in the uk and an nhs hospital that won’t be true. The doctors will be on an hourly rate or annual salary and mode of delivery makes no difference to their pay!

I don’t think I was ever asked how Dd was delivered past her 6 week check up.

You did not let your daughter down by having an emergency c-section. You put your body through major surgery to keep her safe.

There is an evidence based VBAC group on Facebook, that may be worth having a look at.

This is nonsense. NHS Doctors get paid a salary that doesn’t vary depending on what they do

The last time I was asked about method of birth/complications at birth the child in question was 17 years 8 months old (and significantly taller than me). I think you might need to prepare for the long haul on this question.

I wish they'd explain why they ask this. After all the scaremongering NCT bullshit about how terribly badly you've failed your baby if you don't have a natural birth, I always felt quite persecuted when doctors insisted on asking this at every bloody appointment for anything.

What they are really asking is whether there were there difficulties with the pregnancy or delivery that could help them understand the child's health status now.

E.g. were there difficulties with the placenta / was the baby distressed during labour before a crash c section / was the baby delivered prematurely / were there issues with growth in utero / etc.

FWIW my DS was delivered by planned C section after my previous baby died during childbirth. He has no problems whatsoever with his immune system - no allergies, no eczema, no asthma, no digestive problems, etc.

And even better, he's alive. Unlike my first child, who I declined to be induced with (due to fear of 'cascade of interventions' - thanks NCT) and who died in utero at 40.5 weeks when the umbilical cord ruptured.

Doctors individually, maybe not, but the Hospital/Trust they work for, certainly.

No they arent in nhs. They get a salary. Stop talking nonsense.

So doctors dont get paid more then?!

Also there is very little difference in it and its refunded expenses it doesnt go in anyone's pocket. You have clearly no idea how NHS works

I’m very sorry to hear this @VoltaireMittyDream. thank you for posting and I’m so sorry for what you went through and your loss.

I totally resonate with the ‘cascade of interventions’ that gets spouted and it isn’t very helpful for those that need it.

I was asked at an appointment for eldest to do with her hyper mobility when they were 18.

I was also asked twice when 48 and 50 for an autoimmune disease and ND assessment when I asked why - they didn’t even know if they was a link!

We have been asked this recently for a 17 year old.

As previously said, they are trying to find out your child's medical history which might impact how they present now. Its not meant as a judgement.

One of my sons was born after induction and resuscitated so it seems to have been relevant .

That's the crucial thing - unless they ask they will never know if there is a link because the information simply won't be there.

Of course they have worse outcomes. Because c-sections are always recommended in high-risk births, and tragically you cannot always resolve those risk factors so sometimes there will be a bad outcome. Doesn’t mean that the specific act of having a c-section is more risky. It’s a skewed sample.

Anyway, on topic - I was asked about her birth at a hospital appointment for my 9yo a couple of days ago. Evidently it’s a thing!

My kid's neurodiverse, and I still got asked about pregnancy and delivery during diagnosis assesment at 5.

As an aside, it is also part of data collection for research.

In years to come they may find a link between , for example, CSections and something because they have data. The NHS has the biggest health dataset in the world.

The biome research referenced in this thread came from asking patients about their birth and subsequent illnesses.

Have you done extensive research in a professional capacity, or just from anecdotal posts on internet forums? It's difficult to tell nowadays, people post absolute bullshit in such a confident manner.

I'm pretty sure that the outcome of my EMCS was better than the alternative after they got "wedged" (as the midwife put it)