Ventouse vs Forceps?

[maveta]

I just read the other day that Ventouse is considered the gentler of the two and may not require an episiotomy, or at least not as drastic an episiotomy.. does anyone know more about this? Would you have a choice between the two or do you have to lump whatever they tell you they´re going to do (if you even need any kind of intervention, that is)?

Hi,

I had a forceps delivery with my son, but that was 8 yrs ago. There was no mention of a ventouse when it was all happening (although I was aware of them before going into labour). DS's heart rate was falling so they just said he had to come out quickly and forceps was what they used. He did have a bit of a bruised face, and I took him to a craniel osteopath afterwards. And yes i had a horrid episiotomy that was very sore for weeks afterwards.
Ventouse is much less invasive, but perhaps less effective, hence why they went straight for the forceps in my situation.

I would ask your midwife what your hopsital prefer to use. I have heard that forceps use is becoming much rarer as there is increased risk to the baby.

Honeyapple, my experience was exactly the same, didn't have a lot of choice.

ifyou're v unlucky you'll get both, like I did 1sttime! So no means of comparison as had both for same birht, bloody hurt, sorry! but doesn't necessarily follow that you would need episiotomy, can't plan these things.I honestly thing you'll be asked (well, sometimes told due to urgency) if they can do what best suits in circs.Forceps saved ds1's life so i'm ever grateful.

if its needed the consultant/dr should come and talk to you and say which method they use and why they think it will be the ebst option.

having been to a perinatal mortaility meeting recently i would go for forceps everytime but i am not at liberty to discuss my reasons for so, but on a general day to day basis of seeing both being performed i would still go for forceps given the choice.

Forceps can IIRC be more damaging to mother and can also damage baby permanently (although rarely I guess). I am sure there are sometimes circumstances where forceps are preferred though. FWIW I had ventouse with ds1 and had to have a huge episiotomy because his head was still high. He emerged with a nasty looking bruise but it faded within days. I wasn't offered a choice BTW, although since they said ventouse I wasn't arguing (I might have if they'd said forceps, although I doubt it given my totally exhausted state at the time).

interesting vicky, as i had heard that forceps was the riskier of the two......

i would have thought for virtually all instrumental deliveries an episiotomy would be required...

don;t know if forceps allow more manipulation of the baby, to manouevre into a better position for birth, than the ventouse..would certainly be interested to know the answer

I had a forceps delivery and I was very sore afterwards but ds appeared unscathed (well the dr pointed out a mark but I couldn't see anything). I had a large epiomy but as ds needed to be turned and shoulders also got stuck this was prob just aswell. I think a lot will depend on the skill of the doctor and possibly the equipment they are most comfortable with will provide the best outcome.

ds was ventouse, no ill effects, had episiotomy with only very minor soreness. He was more or less stuck, heart rate worrying, end of a looooong labour, lots of blood loss (mine). He came out purple but amazingly scored 10 on Apgar. I'm glad of having had the ventouse and always thought forceps sounded nastier. I do think I had a very, very good doctor, though.

I had both - ventouse didn't work so they went for the forceps - I had an episiotomy which didn't hurt at the time as I was drugged up to the eyeballs, did hurt afterwards quite a lot but healed really well - it is at least a clean cut so possibly better than tearing. I think they generally try ventouse first but it depends how quickly they need to get the baby out.

I didn't have a choice. They got the ventouse

I didn't have a choice. They got the ventouse. No episiotomy though

Ds had a very sore head for two days, a big bruise

ventouse didn't work for me...it also felt like someone was trying to vacuum the baby out.
dd1 was delivered with forceps, and they missed her eye by a millimetre........

but they did do an episiotomy before trying to plunger dd1 out...

vickiyumyum, can I email you privately and ask why?

Thanks for all the replies, I know in the event I´ll trust them to do their best to get the lo out as safely as possible but just reading that the other day got me thinking..Cheers.

just a general observation from a conversation between consultants at a perinatal mortality meeting.

it does largely have to do with the delivering drs skill with each peice of equipement. i have seen some fantastic ventouse delivery's that the baby has just basically been eased out with the cup and no epis neccessary this was generally where mum was just to tired to push that last little bit, but then more not so nice ones where it has taken quite a few pulls to get baby out. forcep deliveries do seem to have more control over them done by the right dr of course. some dr's just seem to a havea magical skill and even thoguh it is an instrumental delivery still make it a beautiful thing to watch, whereas others haven't quite got that skill and it isn't as nice to watch.
i have to this is all information gleaned from a conversation between a number of consultants and dr's at a meeting, so i do not have the reserach to back up what they say or my feelings, hence why i didn't really want to say what i had heard, but i feel that as i have already said that i may have casued some anguish for people who have read it, so felt i should back up what i have said and why.

for anyone whios interested there are plenty of articles out there on the subject, and if you are concerned i would google articles from respected medical journals. but a lot of the 'quailty' of the dr's work comes down to his/her experience, there would be no good asking adr who had never delivered with forceps to do so if he hadn't done it before and wasn't skilled and confident that he could do so safely. i would say it is usually the best option to ask the dr who will deliver which they are most skilled at and whioch they feel happier and is more appropriate for what you need, i know this is hard and is prob the last thing on your mind in the altter stages of labour, but maybe something you could get your partenr to ask should the subject ever arise.

Is it possible to request a cs instead of an instrumental delivery? I've heard so many horror stories about huge tears (especially regarding forceps) that I honestly think I'd prefer a cs...

I think that if you have intervention with instruments (forceps, ventouse)then make it a priority to take the baby to the cranial osteopath as soon as you can. And do be aware that because baby is being pulled out by his head s/he's likely to have a headache.

all depends on your dr, but even with forceps adn ventouse, they still need contractions and maternal effort, they can't just pull without a contraction.

by all means if you feel you have had enough info and would prefer a c/s thats what informed choice is all about. don't go in feeling scared because of the horror stories you have been told or read, do a bit of research, go to the british medical journal or the midwifery journals and search ventouse and forceps versus c/s and make an informed decsision should it come to that.

i'm hoping you all get nice 'norma' labours with no intervention and so this talk of ventouse, forceps and c/s are unneccesary anyway

With ds1 they wanted to do a c/s as he was facing sideways but I begged them to consider other options so they went for a ventouse saying they would try 2 tugs with me pushing too.
I've never put so much effort into anything I can tell you!

It's funny someone mentioned 'headache' for the baby. In my case, DS was back to back and they tried to 'turn' him with a ventouse - this failed, so I ended up with a C section as his heart rate was dropping. But when he was born, he had a horrible mark on his head, all black and the skin was raw in places and bleeding. My husband asked the doctor if our boy would have a headache, and the doc replied Babies don't get headaches. WHAT??!!!?? my husband replied 'So what do they have then, sore heads? If you'd been pulled by the skin of your head, don't you think it would hurt???'

Anyway, DS had a scar for about 6 months, it's faded now, but I am pregnant again and an going for a VBAC, and it has already been clearly discussed that I will not have instrumental delivery, if it comes to that I'll go straight for another section. I am very scared of both the ventouse and even more of foreceps.

My VBAC was assisted by forceps and although I was elated to avoid CS I am having some difficulty with the forceps now... I would like to know why they sent me to theatre for a trial of forceps when they've marked on my notes it was because of suspected rupture of uterus. It should have been straight to CS in that case and I, in no way, recall any worry of UR whilst in labour.... ho hum

Anyway dd came out perfect, APGAR scores of 9 and 9, with just a litte redness and has been the most content, wonderful little girl ever since! So I've always thought I must have done all the pushing and forceps were just a guide and not used to pull. I was very fortunate, it seems, that my cons was skillled in forcpes use or else I really did do it mostly all myself. Which again leads me to wonder why I was rushed like an emergency into theatre, numbed and cut with episiotemy, and now feel like a bit of a fraud about my VBAC. So I've contacted cons dept to ask to see him to discuss, I need to lay these thoughts to rest. Haven't heard back yet, better chase them up...

So, I think it is all a bit pot luck what you get and what the HCPs are experienced in. It is important to do your research on childbirth and your Birth Choices before labour but how many of us know about this the first or even 2nd time around? I certainly never considered instrumental delivery at all. The NHS classes are like chocolate fireguards and now we see that they are being cut all over the country... Thank goodness we have the internet to do our own research now!

Sorry, that turned into a rant....