Elective section - at how many weeks?

[Loulee]

Anyone know at how many weeks you have an elective section? - or does it depend on the individual hospital / personal circumstances? For some reason I have in my head that at QMH Glasgow (where i will be going) they suggest doing it at 37 weeks. This seems awful early to me - but maybe I've got it wrong??

at the hospital i will be goin to they have a mode of deliery app at 36 weeks and then have the cs at any time from 38 weeks.

not sure if its the same everywhere tho.

hope this helps.

how many weeks are you?

is it private or nhs hosp and is the elective for medical reasons?

There is evidence to suggest that elective C/S is better performed at 39 weeks at least. Used to always be 38 weeks but babies can be born with breathing difficulties. Depends the reason for the C/S. I doubt that QMH says routinely 37 weeks as I trained there!

Have just booked one through LWH for 39 +2. They suggest 38 weeks at earliest. I was pushing for the latest possible date.

weirdly cannot seems to find anything in NICE guidelins. Must be there somewhere....

but then again, i guess it depends if there are other factors to do with maternal or fetal health, so this may be having a bearing......

The full NICE guideline states that elective C/S should not be planned before 39 weeks marymilligan

cheers mears!

There has to be a good reason to convince them to go before 39 weeks, like if going into labor is dangerous for mother and/or baby.

Have just been booked today for 16th Jan which is 38 weeks - this was the date recommended by my consultant. Am having elective as had previous emergency CS after a long labour which wouldn't progress past 8cm, this they believe was due to the size of the baby and since this one is shaping up biggish as well two consultants didn't give me very good odds on a successful Vbac.

Not all consultants go by NICE guidelines - wish they did! In your case there would be no problem waiting till 39 weeks. If you laboured before then your section is done then. They are done at 38 week spurely for planning lists. Don't agree with advice not to consider VBAC unless that was your choice. It is often the position of the baby rather than the size that affectys labour. Cannot understand why you are not offered chance of spntaneous labour but that is my bugbear, not yours

At Queen Charlotte you have to bed and plead to get it at 38 1/2 weeks. (and I'm no push over)

I had electives with both of my DCs. The reason was that they had very large heads - neither descended or engaged. So not threatening at all to mother or baby while in situ. Both times I went to 39+ several days - consultant said that the recommendation was to go to at least 39 weeks.

with my dd had elective cs at 39+4 as she was breech consultant recommended 39 weeks but my dh wouldnt have been able to be there so he agreed to 39+4 on condition that any sign of labour I had to go in.

Having another elective section tomorrow (eeek!!!) at 38+3 but this is due to bleeds and ongoing problems.

Good luck for yours on 16th have to say found my planned section with dd fab and recovered really well from it just hoping this one is the same

Thanks for all the replies. What a relief! i don't know where I got 37 weeks from. It's nhs at the qmh and i had my previous 2 there and totally trust them, so was getting worried. Thank god, it's unfounded! it's wont be til July - so a way to go yet.
Like you marym - I was giong to push for the latest date possible.

Mine was 39+2, but there had been no problems in pregnancy. They wouldn't do it at 39 dead on because it was a weekend, so they waited til the Monday!

Hi all,

I am new to mums net and found this thread and wanted to bump it up as it was exactly what i was looking for. - sorry Loulee to steal your thread!

I would love some advice from those in the know about when the earliest possible is to have an elective under these circumstances.

My story is i am currently 35 weeks with number 2. My first labour was 6 days and i progressed to a whole 2cm. After clearly being forgotten about - shouting and screaming with no pain relief and contractions every 2 mins eventually i was taken for an "emergency" section. The labour was induced at 42w - sorry i digress.

I have horrific SPD and my midwives are useless and wont refer me to the physio or give me the number so i am stuck with wearing the belt i had the last time.

I also suffer from very bad pre-natal depression and am on medication for this.
I wanted a vbac but am so sore and depressed that i need this pg to be over.

I have an app with consultant in a week but really want some advice about when i can push to have the baby.

I have also had steroids for this baby as my waters ruptured at 29 weeks but healed again quickly and waters remained on the low side of normal but within the acceptable range.

I am sorry this was so long - please someone give me some advice - I am totally lost!!

thanks

Beckera

Hi Beckera, Can't really help much as I haven't had my consultant appointment for the date yet (3 weeks to go). The hopsital I am at recommends 39 weeks, but I also have bad SPD and have been having a fair bit of scar pain from a previous section. When I went in a few weeks ago over the pain (thought I'd done something horrid, so was getting it checked out) the doctor I saw then told me that if the pain I was in got worse I should keep going back for monitoring and they would look at bringing the date forwards for my section. I would prefer to wait as long as possible for my baby, but.... the pain is getting worse. Perhaps your consultant will offer you the option of having the section a tiny bit earlier when you see him / her?

Hi Beckera,

Dont let your labour last time put you off trying for a vbac. every labour is different and if you are armed with more info, you may well feel differently.

take a look at www.caeserean.org.uk under VBAC.

SPD is generally not a 'good' enough reason for a section generally. But your ANDep may well help you to get a c/s if thats what you want.

Have you talke this over with anyone? www.sheilakitzinger.com/BirthCrisis.htm maybe worth a look.

Try to talk things over with your partner, this may help. also take a look at aims.org.uk and maybe consider some 'birth support' if you can.

Good Luck,

Cx

In Cardiff they really dont like to do elec c-sections until after 39 weeks, if you go into labour naturally before this they will then bring it forward obviously. I had mine at 38+4 which they originally booked me in for but then asked to change it to 39+4 which I refused. It is important however that it isn't done too early because the longer they are in the better it is for them.

DS was very foetal for a while after the birth (legs and arms tucked in all the time and very sleepy) for a few days/weeks which DD (born by emergency c-section at 42+6) wasn't, but then she had a whole extra month in me!!

The guidelines are to not do an elective cesarean before 38 weeks unless the benefits outweigh the risks, such as the mother having preeclampsia, etc. The reason for this is that the lungs are the last thing to develope and they don't want to encounter any respiratory problems with the baby at birth and the risk of this drops after 37 weeks. My elective cesarean is booked for when I'm 38 weeks and 2 days for this reason. They also don't want to wait till very close to your due date because the possibility of labour starting is more likely the closer you get to 40 weeks and the risks and complications of a cesarean go up if you are in labour when they perform it, it becomes a different ball game then. Hope this helps!

Personally, if there are no medical indicators like PE for an earlier CS I would ask for a CS as late as possible, preferably once labour starts so that I know that baby is actually ready to come out. But that's me.

Beckera, your story is a classic emCS after induction. Other than being 42wks, were there any other indications for induction? You could well be a slow cooker! And how reliable were the dates that were being worked to? My VBAC arrived at 42+1 scan or 40+6 lmp, is it possible that you and baby were simply not ready yet? Do you know how long your mum or gran cooked their babies?

I know that SPD is an absolute pain! And that you desperately want it over. I would want to ensure that you have considered what you would feel like after a VBAC or after a CS, would you be disapointed not to have tried or would you be happy to have elCS, only you know that answer and I think you should listen to your heart when making these decisions.

If you decide to VBAC then waiting until labour starts spontaneously, whenever that is, will be the best way to go, even if you are a late cooker. As long as there are no other indications for concern, then waiting is best.

Nonyummymummy, I don't know enough about you but what you've said so far does not give me any reason to believe that you NEED a CS at 38wks. I think that by waiting for labour to start spontaneously you would have an excellent chance of VBAC, as I know of many VBAC ladies who have had babies over 9, 10 or even 11lbs! check this out

Also cons are not experts at normal birth (they only see problems) and are not in a position to tell you whether or not you can have a VBAC. Only you can decide whether to try and by doing your research you have a very good chance! A well placed big baby putting good pressure on your cervix, with waters intact to aid rotation, will help it to dilate, that's a good thing! Big babies are not always bad!

If any of you are deliberating whether to have VBAC or elCS I have a word.doc which I would be happy to send to you, with many links for you to read and make up your own mind. I am very much pro VBAC, and it is safer than CS, but it's more important to me that you make your own informed decisions, whether that be for VBAC or elCS. Email me at klaw at macmail dot com if you would like me to send you this doc so that you can do your own research.

Oh dear, have I let my passion run a way with me? Sorry for the length of post!

Beckera, (Sorry I didn't get to read your post in detail before - dd was on my knee doing a jigsaw )
I have been to a physio for the SPD and it does not have to be the midwife who refers you. In my area they actually can't! Go see your regular GP and ask them to refer you urgently to physio, the appointment should come through within a week or so.
The physio I saw gave me a better support than my old one and also some exercises to help the muscles in the area to support the baby better and therefore relieve some of the pressure and pain. Definitely get yourself to the doctors!

Does anyone happen to know if elective c-section by the NHS can be scheduled for the weekend (sat/sun?) or its normally during the week? thanks