Can’t stop thinking about a third baby but had a uterine window at last csection

[Laurasam]

My youngest is 2.5 and I feel like every day I think more and more about wanting a third baby. I don’t want one tomorrow necessarily but maybe in another 18 months or so. I feel like I’ve been in limbo since his birth. The surgeon doing my second csection noted that I had a thin womb that was see-through over his head. He didn’t say I should completely rule out a future pregnancy but was very vague because I’d obviously just had a baby moments before. I think the risk is uterine rupture if it was to happen again and be worse. He vaguely said if I went back in a few years I’d be able to be scanned first. It was all a bit of a blur but I’ve thought about it so many times since he was born. I keep telling myself to just be thankful for the two I have and not be stupid and risk anything.

There are articles online that show some people with a uterine window in a previous pregnancy can go on to have another baby and it doesn’t happen again. I’m just at such a crossroads with it. I feel like I’ll never be confident enough to go for it, knowing the risks and what the worst case scenario could be 😩 Has anyone been in a similar situation or had a uterine window before?

No specific advice on your issue, but I requested my pregnancy and birth notes from the hospital. Then you can see the specific notes the doctor would have written up after your operation and it might help inform things for you. I know it’s so difficult to take in any info while they’re telling you how the operation went when you’ve just had a baby 30 mins ago! There was a link on my hospitals website to submit a request for them and it took a few weeks, super easy.

@potentialdogowner thank you, I was thinking of trying to ask for them but wasn’t sure if I’d have to go through my GP. It was the badger notes app I had at the time and I’ve been back on that to see if there’s any info but it’s the shortest description of the csection with no detail really so it’s not mentioned on there. There must be more detailed notes I can request. Thanks

A close friend had a uterine rupture - after a failed induction. She was told she was incredibly lucky baby she & survived. She was told not to try for another. Seeing what she went through I wouldn’t risk it.

@Trolleydolley I’m glad they were okay, it can be very dangerous, especially for baby. I think some of the worst odds I’ve seen are a 1 in 3 chance of baby dying and 1 in 10 of mum dying if it’s a rupture. Most occur during labour or particularly inductions. I think the chance of rupture outwith labour is very very low and I would be having another section, by the sounds of it at 37 weeks from what I can see online. Obviously I’d have to hope I didn’t go into labour before this but I haven’t previously. The easy and sensible option is don’t risk it 🤦🏼‍♀️

Hello OP,

Not exactly the same but after my second C-section, I was informed that scar tissue from the previous one had grown and attached to my bladder and that my uterus was thin, although not stated as a uterine window. I was told that had it went on for much longer, I was at risk of rupture.

Surgeon suggested waiting a minimum of two years before falling pregnant again. I fell pregnant approx 2.5 years later. It was another c-section, which they performed at 38 weeks due to the previous scar tissue, and luckily, all was completely fine. No mention was made of a thin uterus or scar tissue being attached to the bladder again. I outright asked the surgeon, who was a different person, and he confirmed there was no issues that time.

I suggest you wait for the period of time you were advised and then you can try again.
it doesn’t sound like you were advised against ever having more children, it was just precautionary advise so that you didn’t fall pregnant too soon and not allow your body time to recover.

You need to consider the what if scenario - what would happen if there were complications which meant your existing DC were left without a mother or a mother who survived but with life changing consequences, Or you made a complete recovery but the baby was significantly impacted and left with life changing injuries - physical and mental which would adversely impact your existing home life. I would suggest the surgeon was being vague because you had just had your baby - but the fact he was suggests that there may well be a problem. Your decision , best made with the benefit of your more detailed notes and a discussion with the medics but personally I don’t think I would risk the potential impact on my existing DC and home life.

I didn’t even know I had a uterine window during my 3rd delivery until I was pregnant with my 4th! My consultant told me during a routine appointment and obviously it was too late. He reassured me that because I’d had a big gap between pregnancies (7 years) then it was safer and they made extra precautions during my section (bigger team, blood on standby etc).
During that section they actually told me that everything looked fine and dandy considering I’d had 3 previous sections and that I could have another baby if I wanted, but to wait at least a year before trying. I didn’t, but I was surprised to hear that after worrying so much.

I had something similar during my 1st pregnancy, ended up with an emergency c section, all very traumatic but we were ok.
I really wanted a second and was offered via my GP a post birth debrief by an obstetrician at the hospital. It was really helpful but ultimately what they said was these things often happen so rarely that there’s no reliable data or statistics on what might happen. They wouldn’t advise me either way.
I ended up having a second child and all went well but I thanked my lucky stars. I wasn’t going to push my luck with a third - I made peace with that pretty much on the operating table!

I meant I didn’t have another baby… not I didn’t wait a year! 😂