Pelvic Bone and normal birth

[sara009]

Hi everyone! I want to ask a question. Is there any chances of having normal delivery if a women has a narrow pelvic bone? I am asking it as my neighbor who is a very good friend of mine is expecting her first child and her doctor told her that because of this issue she can not deliver a baby normally and have to undergo C- section. Any suggestion? Thanks!

If the doctor has recommended this, it is for a good reason as the baby would probably get stuck and she'd need a csection anyway. She needs to trust medical professionals on this one, to avoid risk to the baby and herself.

It's highly unlikely that a 'narrow pelvis' would prevent a normal vaginal birth, except in extreme cases. Most of us grow babies that are perfectly sized for our bodies. It's a bit of a myth in most cases that you can make a baby too big to fit through your pelvis (though you may have trouble if you narrow your already narrow pelvis in birth by lying down for instance, etc. and that may cause some difficulties). But it would depend on the medical reason why she has this so-called 'narrow pelvis.' If she had rickets as a child (rare but not impossible) or another developmental anomaly of the bone structure, that could cause a genuine complication. I know someone who had a bad car accident and has pins and plate fusing her back and pelvis together because it was badly broken in the accident. She had to have a c-section because her pelvis can't flex the way a normal pelvis can. So there are rare cases when yes, there may be a complication that causes a pelvis to not open the way it should in labour. But it's often just one of those flippant things doctors say (especially in places like the U.S. where more c-sections make more money) without much supporting evidence. So it's definitely possible, but if she wants a natural birth, I would get a second opinion and not just take that as gospel.

I'd follow the recommendation and go for a planned c-section.
If she's smaller than 160cm and/or her partner is much bigger than her or her baby is big for her (although this is very difficult to predict) she's at increased risk of an emergency c-section or pelvic floor dysfunction. Please ignore the pro-natural-childbirth posters. Not every woman can birth any baby. Follow the RCOG on Twitter and Facebook and look at their online leaflets. You can learn quite a lot from those sources.

Unless mindutopia is head consultant surgeon on an obstetrics ward, which I very much doubt, follow proper medical advice rather than the made up wisdom of ‘we all grow babies that are perfectly sized for our bodies’. - which is plainly and manifestly absolute nonsense.

If your friend is in UK OP then there must be more info you don't know about for the consultant to draw that conclusion. They can't just look at your hips and say your pelvis is too narrow. And from my experience thy wouldn't suggest a cs without good reason. You quite likely don't know her full medical history or the predicted size for the baby (but I suspect if it was this they would opt for inducing early).

I hated people asking for the ins and outs of why I was having a cs and came out with bs though. It had nothing to do with them and had personal gynae stuff going on so just said anything to close the conversation. Are you asking because this is what you think op?

I have a narrow pelvic "tunnel" apparently- discovered this when I was fully dilated but baby wasn't coming. You wouldn't think it to look at me, I have definite hips, but the narrowness combined with a baby that turned her head meant I was prepped for an emergency c section. They decided to try forceps first and she came out fine.
I had a debrief and asked if it would cause problems for any subsequent births and was told it shouldn't be an issue though it was good to know about it.
So I'd say to be aware that there's a chance of instrumental delivery and for it to be known now, it is likely severe. I'd take the section on medical advice.

No one on here is going to know better than your neighbour's consultant. If they've advised a section it'll be with good reason, they don't generally suggest major surgery just for the fun of it.

Also just want to add that it's complete rubbish that you can't grow a baby too big for you to birth, in fact the incidence of this is rising because we can perform sections so these women and babies don't die during childbirth and therefore the genes are passed on.