23-26 weeks did you have a c section?

[Emmaheathrow]

I'm so worried as I'm 23 weeks 6 days and looks like labour is coming after 4 days of keeping her in there with no waters. I've been advised not to have a c section because of maternal bleeding high risk of death and danger to future pregnancies. I am also scared of having a c section in general even if I was full term with out the added Chance I will bleed to death.

They said that they would only need to do one if her heart rate was fluctuating as it would cause her distress not too but since I didn't want one they won't and they said it's a sensible decision.

I am now regretting it incase she does and she dies. How many of those that delivered the earliest of preemies did it vaginally??? I just need to have hope. I am fortunate to have very wide hips and my last preemie son (4lbs 12oz) was born quickly with out forceps or anything and he was my first. The doctors already commented on how I have the perfect figure for child birth so it gives me some hope.

Hi Emma I know nothing about c-sections so early I just wanted to wish you luck. I read your other link and I can only imagine how scared and worried you are. You seem to be having good advice and care, so just to let you know I'm one of the many who are thinking of you and sending you all the best of luck.

Sorry you are in such a worrying situation.

It sounds like your doctors are giving a steer but for your own peace of mind I would ask them again what the risks and benefits for your baby are for each method of delivery, and whether there are steps that can be taken to mitigate the risks. Also, how those factors might change if the pregnancy progresses and the baby grows.

I was in hospital from 23 weeks and DD was born a few weeks later by EMCS, weighing 600g. I was given steroids and magnesium sulphate - the magnesium was primarily for me but I think it also possibly prevents IVH in tiny babies (don't quote me on that, but might be worth asking about).

Sorry, I should have added that vaginal birth wasn't an option for me as DD had to be delivered asap due to my declining health.

I have 3 girls 19,16 & 11 years old. All born very early at 27 weeks, 27 weeks, (angel baby boy, born asleep) 23+6 weeks & 26 weeks. So l knew it'd be a stressful pregnancy, just not this early. I was told at 5 weeks that baby had implanted on a previous c section scar & will probably have to terminate the pregnancy, I had to go back the following day for a scan with the consultant. He said it was just above & I could continue. since then I'd had many bleeding episodes. I was told at 9 weeks I had an extremely large cyst on one of my ovaries, they said if it hasn't shrunk by my 12 week scan I may have to have surgery to remove it whilst I'm still pregnant. Well a week later I had large bleed with clots & my scan showed the cyst had popped & that's what the bleeding was. I then had more bleeding. On the 25th July I woke at 1:45am to what looked like a scene from a horror film. I rushed to A & E they did bloods & kept me in. They did an internal & said that my ocervix was open & my placenta was poking through it (I had complete placenta previa) . They told me I was having a miscarriage. The following day it settled down a bit, I was constantly bleeding. I was on bedrest for the foreseeable future. I was told if I was still bleeding like this they'd deliver baby at 23/24 weeks. At 17 weeks they said I had to see my consultant every week. I had an infection because of the bleeding they didn't know if it was a urine infection or an infection in my uterus so was put on antibiotics to cover both. 3 weeks later I lost a smelly discharge so they decided to keep me in. I hemoraged again & they saw for themselves how much I was loosing. They said I'd have to stay in now until he was born. I had a couple of scans & they suspected I had acreta, this is where the placenta grows through my womb. So they said I'd have to go to a hospital better equipped to deal with my complications & also my local hospital is only a level 2 NICU I needed a level 3. There was no beds or cot for one or both of us at any hospital close by so after 2 weeks I was transferred by ambulance to The William Harvey hospital Ashford in Kent. I hemorrhaged again & had to have a blood transfusion. This happened a few times. I was given a 15% chance of survival at delivery & told I was a ticking time bomb. I was given a MRI scan to confirm placenta acreta which it did. After 4 weeks it was decided that I needed to be transferred to Adenbrook's hospital in Cambridge. So I was eventually after my consultant argued with ambulance control that if I delivered there I wouldn't survive so needed to be transferred. I was transferred. I'd been having strong contractions for over 10 days so the ambulance journey made them worse. Less than an hr after arriving at Adenbrook's hospital I said "these pains are getting worse" they said try not to worry because I'll know if anything is going to happen because I'll bleed due to the placenta previa. Then I said "I think I'm bleeding". They lifted the sheet and the bed turned red & we could hear it dripping onto the floor. I hemorrhaged really bad. They pulled the emergency buzzer & everyone came running in. I was taken to theatre there was so many people I was like a rabbit in headlights. I think someone said there was 38 people in there. I've had prem babies before so knew this wasn't normal. I had 3 anethatists putting in lines in my arms neck etc & a catheter was also being put in. The bleeding seemed to slow so they said hang on a moment but then I had excruciating pain so they proceeded. I suddenly thought oh crap my hubby doesn't know please can someone tell him. They said yes. I was put to sleep and woke up on the close observation ward. I was in agony again I'd had many c sections so knew this wasn't right. They gave me morphine the full dose it didn't touch the pain, so they gave me ketamine a very strong pain killer. That didn't work either so the anethatists asked for me to be reviewed by the Dr's. They came & examined me. Then all of a sudden loads of clots came out n I hemorrhaged again. Just as this was happening my hubby arrived I was asking how's my baby. It was gone 1 am at this point. I felt I needed to know he was ok as I thought I was going to die. They said he's fine & doing very well. He's a good weight 2lb 1oz. I was shocked for 26 weeks that's really good. They got the bleeding under control. My hubby went to see our son & he took a pic to show me. I was desperate to see him but was too sick to go to NICU. We've has a crazy journey my baby spent 191 days in the NICU. He's home but still on optiflow ( assisted ventilation). He's doing really well, his lungs are still quite bad but should improve as he grows. As you can see I had a terrible pregnancy but despite the odds he survived. These babies are much stronger than we think they are so hang on in there & good luck xox

Oh I had c section for all except my angel baby & yes magnesium sulphate is to prevent IVH in prem babies as I had it for that reason. It also relaxes you uterus.