How safe is ECV after previous c/s?

[Roskva]

I'm 34 weeks, and my baby is breech at the moment. I had an obstetrics appt on Fri, and the registrar I saw, with the support of her consultant, suggested an EVC. I'm not keen on the idea.

The community MW (not my usual one) came out yesterday to check my bp (which was up on Fri but down yesterday), and she was a bit shocked that ECV was being proposed as I had a section last time. Now the obstetricians didn't mention anything about increased risk where there was a section previously, but having spent a lot of time trawling the net (many thanks to those of you who have posted links in other threads) I get the impression the MW is right. I also got the distinct impression she doesn't have a particularly high opinion of the consultant, which I suppose could colour her judgment.

Does anyone out there have any experience of ECV after a section? I really don't want to find myself having another emergency section if I can possibly avoid it.

I didn't think they did ECV after a previous section.

I thought the risks of rupturing hte scar were greater than the scar rupturing during a VBAC.

It think if that were to happen you would be in for a crash section let alone a emergency section.

That is just my opinion though and I am sure someone will contradict me.

I get the impression from things I've read that ECV is not recommended after a previous section. Also, the registrar said that if I go for natural birth, they won't let me go over my due date and will induce. Again, I thought induction increases the risk of uterine rupture if there was a previous section. I am so confused

I think induction depends on the consultant. Round here, my consultant with DD2 said no induction, but my neighbour with DS2 was told she could have syntocinon but not the pessary (diff hospital).

I've never heard of ECV being offered post section either - you would have a crash section if your scar ruptured so perhaps it depends on the risk. Risk of rupture in a normal VBAC is 1 in 360 so I'd want to know what the odds went up to before I'd agree.

HTH.

Hello had a section with last ds only 8 weeks now but what is evc?

evc is external cephalic version

(where they turn a breech baby by twisting it from outsite the womb).

I think induction is less of a risk. I thought they would do pessary/break waters but not syntocin drip. The reason meing that the drip can cause much stronger contractions than a natural labour.

Does your obsettrician know you have had a scetion .

If you are not comfortable with either I don't think you would/could be refused a elective ceaseraian.

Yep, the registrar actually double checked my notes, after asking me , because my scar is barely visible, then spent a couple of minutes admiring her colleague's almost invisible handiwork.

I was offered elective c/s first, then ECV, and she ran off to the consultant in horror when I said I want to try accupuncture before agreeing to an ECV

I would prefer not to have another section if I can avoid it. The last one was emergency, and I hated the feeling I had for weeks after of having been cut in 2, and barely being able to lift a newborn let alone the energetic toddler I now have as well.

I'm hoping for a VBAC in a couple of months and when I saw the consultant a while ago she said that I wouldn't do an ECV or induce me. Bit surprised they're suggesting ECV and induction for you.

she wouldn't do an ECV or induce me

Hiya,

I am due to be induced by 37 weeks and at first the consultant was not keen to induce and go for vbac - he preferred me to have another section. He explained that the risk of uterine rupture is 1% for those trying vbac but goes up to 3% (not as high as 4% to quote him)if you are induced. I did not think that this was a huge increase in risk and he has agreed to let me have a go at induction but i think it will be one go with a pessary/break waters rather than a drip. if it doesn't work first time, its a section for me again. I am like you and want to avoid a section at all costs as i have a toddler too and it took me a good few months to recover last time with only one child to look after.

I had heard ecv wasn't recommended from my mw as my baby was breech as 32 weeks. sounds like you need to talk to doctor again and try to clear it up. its no good for you if you're not sure if s/he's 'on the ball' iykwim. i feel totally confident in my consultant and we spent a long time discussing options. imho, i think its important you feel you can trust your doctor to help you make the right decision.

i would have thought that there was no need to worry until 36 weeks as baby has time to turn itself so most places would offer ecv after that. Acupuncture might help ?doctor thought it odd as no scientific basis and a little 'off the wall' for them!!Or reflexology? Don't know why doctors won't let people go over 40 weeks and have a good chance of going into labour then 70% chance of vaginal birth!

thanks for your input ladies.

I don't actually trust the consultant - he's the one who decided dd had to be induced because she had stopped growing, would be tiny, and if she had been starved of food she had probably also been starved of oxygen and was therefore likely to be affected by that. My "tiny" baby turned up weighing 6lb13 and very healthy. I also put the feeding problems we had down in part to the section and the fact I didn't hold her for nearly 1.5 hours after she was born, and she obviously had all the drugs I had including morphine. No wonder she was drowsy and couldn't latch on.

It was an induction with a pessary, but I was put on an oxytocin drip when my labour slowed down when I got to about 8cm.

It made me even more uncomfortable that the MW (not my usual MW) I saw on Sat obviously doesn't hold the consultant in high esteem herself, and was frankly that an ECV had been suggested bearing in mind my previous section.

I'm seeing my usual MW tomorrow, and I'm going to try to speak to an independent MW - I'd like to get the opinion of the risks from someone who is outside the politics of the local maternity unit.

Put a call out for Lulumama.

She is v v v knowledgeable for post ceasaerian issues (on a personal level and in her capacity s a doula)- and if she doesn't know the answer she will know where to look.