Feel guilty rejecting ECV

[CavCavCav]

38 weeks with breech baby and I've turned down an ECV on four separate occasions. I managed to get a date for my section this morning but after talking with the consultant I just feel really guilty for not giving it a go. I feel so uncomfortable with the thought of it but also feel bad for choosing major surgery with lots of risks over what could be a natural delivery if the ECV worked. Am I making the wrong call?

It’s a personal choice, but I chose not to have it and go straight for c section. DS was known to be breech the whole way through though so I’d had a lot of time to get my head around it and prepare what I wanted to say. I was only offered it once at 36w, I would have been irritated if they kept pushing it.

I just didn’t like the sound of it and didn’t like the risks associated with it. I am a person who likes to be in control as much as possible and having a planned section made me feel much happier.

Don’t feel guilty over it. You have the section booked, try and look forward to meeting your baby

Nope! You've made the right decision for yourself and baby and I would have done the dame. My baby was breech for weeks and weeks and I always said I didn't want a c section, but above that I wouldn't have had the EVC and would have chose a section over that.
In some cases of a breech baby you can't have an EVC anyway and it doesn't always work anyway.

Good luck. You'll be fine x

It’s your decision obviously - but I can tell you I certainly would have done the same. For one thing, ECV comes with risks in itself!

I wouldn't touch an ECV with a barge pole. There was a big thread about this on here a few years ago and a baby had died following an ECV. Friends I know who have had them say it's not pleasant and not a single one worked. Don't feel guilty at all.

Actually if you weigh up the risks of attempting a natural delivery vs the elective section then you’ll find that actually both have a set of potential risks so you’re not actually choosing anything worse even if the ECV had been successful.

You do what feels right for you. Personally, I think I would do the same. My nephew was breech and my sister went for ECV, it was uncomfortable and didn’t work for her and my nephew was born healthy and happy by c-section.

All the best!