Anyone had an elective c section at 37 weeks due to medical conditions

[KaylaBmummy]

Hi, I have a c-section booked at 38 weeks due to Hydrophronosis of the kidney and back problems. My GP and midwifes have questioned that due to care at home and extreme pain that it should be earlier possibly 37 weeks and to speak to the consultant again. I have concerns about babies lungs and wellbeing and if they actually do do c-sections that early? can anyone share any experiences or knowledge of this to put my mind at rest as I feel I would rather put up with pain and have the baby safe and well. Any advice please.

Hi KaylaBmummy

Presume it's the baby who has hydronephrosis,
not you? and you have the back problems?.

Babies born at 37weeks gestation are deemed to be full term and if born vaginally there are usually no concerns.

Very slight potential problems for baby at birth if delivered by LSCS, but this would be an elective, not emergency and therefore anticipated so paediatrician present for delivery.

Shouldn't be problems if there are no other complications.

If the obstetrician recommends delivery earlier than 38 weeks, it's because he/she feels it's the safest option.

Hope that helps.

Hi Nonametoday. No unfortunately I have the Hydrphronosis and Back condition. I have been in extreme pain and in and out of hospital for the last few months, just came out of hospital again today and plagued with serious kidney and urine infections. Glad to know baby is classed as full term and will be ok. They are advising section as I am in constant pain and concerned kidney will get damaged but I have been coping with strong painkillers but when I have infections I feel like death, then they think I should go early as my wellbeing and morale seem to hit a real low. It just when I feel little better I question decision as Im worried about my baby IYKWIM. Thanks so much for your kind reply

I had ds by section at 37 weeks. He was delivered because I had antibodies in my blood that were could of made him ill.

He was fine, no ill effects from being 3 weeks early at all. He weighed 5lbs 14oz.

I had an elective section at 36 weeks, (accident - it shd have been 38 weeks, long story). DS couldn't breathe properly, was grunting, and spent 5 days in SCBU. Third time round, I was given steroids before hand, and had a section at 38 weeks. Ask them for their views on steroid injections to ensure the baby's lungs are okay. If the baby is otherwise healthy you should be fine. Good luck.

Hi KaylaBmummy - I had my baby induced at 37 weeks because my liver had packed up. Had the induction not worked, they had promised a c-section the following day as it was urgent that delivery must happen either way.

So, yes, they will do a section at 37 weeks, but probably why they are delaying you until 38 weeks is the fact that every single day baby spends inside you helps the lungs. Some hospitals differ in their attitudes to a 37 week baby as opposed to a 38 week baby.

They were extremely careful when he was born - lots of doctors, SCBU ready etc, but fortunately he was OK. I am sure they'll be careful with you too. He was a bit "undercooked" ! but this totally disappears with time and I would do the same again. HTH.

I think plenty of twins are delivered by CS at 36 ish weeks as well, the hospital will have plenty of experience, I am sure.

KaylaBmummy you must be feeling pretty horrendous but you should also feel proud that youv've continued so far in a pregnnancy fraught with problems.

Truly, a section at 37 weeks is not considered to be a big problem for the baby.

Take the advice that your obstetrician offers and relax as much as the situation allows.

Come back and let us know how things went , or to ask for any other info.

Best, very best wishes.

no but probably having one as early as next week at 36 weeks due to medical reasons. my baby is showing as big and over a week ahead of its dates and have been assured that it will be fine.

dd was delivered by c-s at 37 weeks because she had IUGR. She was fine and spent 2 hours ish in SCBU getting her body temp up but that was it (and that was to do with the IUGR rather than the fact she was 37 weeks). She has always been 'judged' though as born at term.

OMG I had the exact same problem as you and let me just say I know how painful it is. Have you had a tube put into your kidney ? When I was pg with dd they were going to do a cs at 34 weeks but I managed to hang on till 37 weeks and she was born fine no problems what so ever.

Can I just ask is it you first ?

Yes, I had ds at 37 weeks because of the same reasons as nutty plus he was breech too. Ds was a little porker at 6lb 14oz, he was great, no problems. I understand that babies lungs are fully developed by 36 weeks. Good luck!

Hi All, thank you so much for all you advice I am feeling much more re-assured that LO will be alright. It been a struggle but hopefully only 4 weeks to go. Also I have never had a c-section before so bit worried about op and recovery but hey hopefully a beautiful baby at end of it all, makes all the pain worth it

SNOW WHITE - I cant believe finally someone has answered with the same conditions. Yes, they have wanted to but the tube in, but due to the op and General Aneathetic I have tried to hold out as the baby is doing well. I have just had a really bab infection in kidney and urinery tract and the last week has been hard. How are you now after the baby? Did you need to have an op on the kidney? and were you anxious about the c-section, im scared of the pain afterwards, recovery and the babies health.

SNOWWHITE - Can I just ask what weight your DD was and did she need to go into SCBU after c-section or was she fine? Sorry about all these questions but its lovely to find someone who knows exactly what you've been experiencing and ended up wiwth a beautiful daughter. Thanks again for replying to my questions .

one of my friends had an elective cs at 37 weeks to deliver her triplets. all of whom were healthy and didn't require any sort of special care (unusual for triplets)

Beautifuldays - God that is brilliant I bet she was delighted and triplets. Its so nice to hear positive stories, thanks for info.

moocowme - Sorry to hear you may have to have c-section next week at 36 weeks. I really hope everthing goes well for you and please let me know how you get on.

Thanks for info and best of luck for next week .

Hi there, I had a section at 36 1/2 weeks due to pre-eclampsia and premature rupture of membranes. Ds2's lungs were perfect. Much better than ds1's who was born at exactly 40 weeks (c-section but many hours of labor first which is supposed to help lungs I thought).

btw, ds1's lungs were also fine after the first day or two.

Just had mine delivered by csection at 37 weeks due to medical reasons. (Although waters broke at midnight on the day I was booked in for elective cs). Ryan was born weighing 5lbs 1oz. Both of us absolutely fine. No complications or problems with us thus far (he is now 15 days old)

The only difference that I can see is that the MW's did not wait for milk to come in as didnt want him to lose too much of his birthweight - so on top of colustrum feeds (remainder given via syringe after he had tried to BF), he was topped up with formula. He was over birth weight within 7 days and exclusive BF'ing now.

I was personally relieved that he was delivered early, as the monitoring was beginnning to make what had been a very easy pregnancy, more stressful.

good luck!

Hi Dal21 - Congratulations on your little boy and so glad he was born fine. Thanks for sharing that. Sounds like he was ready to come. How long were you in hospital afterwards? and what has recovery been like for you, if you dont mind me asking. I will be seeing my consultant on Thursday and he will let me know then if he agrees to the 37 week section. My MW has said to prepare myself as after this last hospital stay it looks very definate that he will want to bring it forward, but I feel so much better about it now after speaking to you all, very reassurred about the baby and that was my main concern, so thats so much

Jabberwocky - Sounds like you had a worrying time beforehand but so glad everything went well. Can I ask what DS2 weighed when born at 36.5 weeks, was he tiny? and how long did you stay in and also recovery? It helps to know what to expect, so thanks for sharing your experiences

Hi Kayla

Here is my experience (cut and paste from another thread). In a nutshell, was mobile the day after - recovery has been fine and I decided to stay in for 5 days to establish Bfeeding. Although i did go private so this was an option that I decided on and I was getting exceptional care as for 3 of the days we were the only ones on the private wing)...so this part is really down to where you are staying and the care you get. I came out very well rested and was given the confidence i needed to BFeed.

I had an elec c/s 11 days ago for my first pregnancy - due to medical reasons and I have no regrets whatsoever.

It was a magical experience - the CD of the band that played at our wedding was on the stereo, the atmosphere was relaxed and calm. The baby was placed skin to skin immediately and had apgar scores of 9 at one min, 10 at 5. (think that is right timings off top of my head). He fed whilst in recovery. I was on my feet that afternoon, fully mobile the next day. Recovery (touchwood) is going well - lochia has virtually stopped, no pain post op, am no longer on any pain relief. My milk came in day 3 and with the fantastic support of the mw's - have established breastfeeding.

The only negatives to note are that I had a period of nausea/ vomiting after the op due to a reaction to the morphine (but that was sorted sharpish with the right anti sickness drug). And I am still tired/ having to take it easy 10 days after the op as energy levels are not back to normal.
But in terms of the experience and bonding with my LO; I cannot say enough good things. Yes the not being able to drive is a tad annoying - but on the flipside, taking it easy and enjoying this time with the baby (vs. rushing around in the car) has its positives too.

Hi Dal21

Thank you for sharing that. That is so positive to hear, hopefully Ill have the same experiences. You did well to be up and around that afternoon after surgery. You read of some really traumatic c-sections and its so nice to hear the positive ones. Glad to hear you and LO are doing so well. I also wish to give BF ago this time and need all the support I can get. Found difficulties with latching on on my other two children, but I have already asked midwives for information and help when LO comes. Thanks again Dal21, keep in touch

Hi KaylaBmummy I can't beleive you have the same either never even heard of it before. I had the tube put in by local anasthetic sp? which was very painful so painful they had to do it again the next day. The tube did reduce the pain but it kept getting blocked so was in and out the hospital getting it unblocked. My dd was 6lb 3oz so a very good weight for being earliy and she was perfectly healthy and still is a very healthy and active 4 year old. As for the c section the recovery was good but I had mine under GA because I have Spina Bifida hence no space for an epi so your will be a lot eaiser. After the cs the kidney pain completly went I had a follow up appointment a couple of weeks later and all was ok so no kidney op. Have they given you a date for the cs yet?

had my ds at 37 weeks no cs the natural way(as natural as epiduraled up to my eyeballs can be}he was completly healthy, 5.3 small but grand no incubater or anything very hungry baby flew along they dont even call 37 weeks premature where i had him considered full term

Hi there. I'm sorry to hear you're in so much pain. I hope that you'll feel better after the birth.

Just to back up what others have said. An elective section at 37 weeks should not be a problem at all. My dd1 was born by elective section at 36 weeks because of medical problems (placenta praevia). There was a danger that she could have been born a lot earlier than that (I was in hospital from 27 weeks onwards) but she held on and they judged it safe to do the operation at 36 weeks. My dd was small, but that was because of the problems I'd had with the placenta more than because of when she was born. I was given steroids for my baby's lungs at 27 weeks when I was admitted, but only until 34 weeks (they are pills that you take weekly). I was told that from 34 weeks the baby's lungs should be mature enough for her to breathe unassisted and the steroids are not necessary. It sounds as if morethanmum was just unlucky, but you could ask about the steroids when you have your next appointment just to be sure. They are called dexamethasone (at least, those were what I had).

My dd2 was born at 37 + 5. I went into labour spontaneously and no-one was worried that she was 'early'. As others have said, 37 weeks is considered full-term. My dd was 7lb 8oz, so a good weight.

Good luck. I hope it all goes well for you.

PS There have been some reports linking dexamethasone with behavrioural problems later in childhood, but nothing conclusive as far as I know.

Hi snowwhite- Thank you for getting in touch again. OMG I too have a back problem which means they will have to do c-section under a GA. I would have liked to be awake to see LO and for DH but never mind, just not to be. Glad you let me know about the shunt op for the kidney, I have been holding out as I have always felt the kidney problem was down to the pregnancy and that it would then settle down as yours has. Your DD was a lovely weight and I am so pleased that you and DD are doing so well now. I have not got a date as yet but hoping the consultant will give me a date on Thursday when I have an appointment to see him. I feel better now after all the responses I have had to this thread and am really thankful. When you came around from the c-section was your DD there ready for you to see and hold. I feel a little sad that I wont see her come into this world but DH has promised to look after LO as soon as he possibly can and will be waiting for me to wake up, so I have to think positive. I am also a little worried about what pain ill be in after op and about the catheter and drips as I am such a weed when it comes to hospitals and ops. Was it that bad? Thanks again for sharing your experience hopefully chat again soon