Caesarean vs vaginal birth nowadays

[Bikergran]

I just heard on the radio that this year in the UK, caesarean births have outnumbered vaginal births. Can I ask why you had a caesarean, if this was an option before labour commenced, or was it an emergency, and did you regret it? Or did you want a caesarean and were refused?

For full transparency, I am well beyond childbearing age now, had 3 children vaginally, one with forceps, another very traumatic psychologically. My DIL had an emergency caesarean after being in strong labour over 24 hours. My mother had 2 classic caesareans (where they cut you vertically from breastbone to pubis) in 1941 and 1953, the first one being performed by her family GP as the consultant couldn't get through due to wartime restrictions.

I was just surprised by the statistic, why do you think there has been such a massive rise in numbers?

I’m not sure OP, it certainly isn’t the easy way out. I’be got two best friends who are midwives so have heard plenty of stories.

I will however be having a C section if I have my first (currently TTC) because I had a surgical suction abortion at 22, which resulted in prolapse and damage to the V and I cannot bear anyone down there without having a full on panic attack now (barely even DP). Yet some people would say I’m a wuss.

i support women’s rights to choose how they birth if they can. We’re low on births as it is as a country so if fear of birth is a reason, so be it to support anyway they can.

A lot of it is to do with the massive rise in inductions which in turn 'fail' and lead to emergency Caesarians.

A lot of it is also to do with women who go through awful inductions the first time opting for electives the second time in order to avoid the same happening again.

Disclaimer- I know not all inductions are awful (though mine was horrendous, but I know they can be a positive experience ) but the fact remains they're offered so much more frequently now and often result in emergency c sections.

I think there’s a few contributing factors, and as someone who has had 2 babies in the last 2 years and as a result have lots of mum friends who have also had babies recently I maybe feel like I have some idea as I actually was offered a section both times and declined.

A big part of it in my opinion is that inductions are becoming more and more common, and LOTS of inductions end in c section whether that is emergency or just a failed induction.

C Sections are also just offered a lot I’d say. My first baby I was offered a c section as she was breech, declined. My son born 5 weeks ago I was really pressured about a c section because he was measuring huge (supposedly measured 9lb 8oz on scan at 38 weeks) and they were concerned about shoulder dystocia- it wasn’t really phrased as a question, the consultant asked WHEN I’d like my section rather than whether I wanted one. Thankfully this was my second baby, I was informed and had done my own research, I declined the section but accepted an induction and he was born 8lb 1oz at 39 weeks. If that had been my first baby though, or if I wasn’t so stubborn, I’d have accepted the c section as in the consultant appointment it didn’t feel like much of a choice!

Yes agree, this is a major factor. And then they often recommend you have a c-section for any subsequent babies too due to the risks associated with vaginal birth after c-section.

I had one for a breech baby (only discovered once in labour and nobody experienced in breech births around, and my baby was in distress). I also had one for a baby in distress (who died neonatally).

Of course I don’t regret them. They were necessary, I agreed to them and they were the right decision to give birth via.

Any woman who chooses to have one, for absolutely any reason, should be allowed to do so.

I had a vaginal birth with my first (after an induction too!) but with my second, I had a maternal requested c-section because I was having twins and despite the fact the positioning was good for a vaginal birth with twins, I had absolutely no desire to attempt it.

No regrets. I'm not having any more DC but if I was, even with just one baby, I'd request a c-section again.

I had a planned c-section at 35 weeks for medical reasons and when I was worrying about it my consultant told me that statistically planned c-sections are the safest method of delivering babies and it’s purely down to cost why women are encouraged to give birth vaginally on the NHS.

I then had a second planned section and no regrets after hearing some of my friends terrifying childbirth experiences.

First c section was my second child, after hugely damaging induction - 2cm-born in 40 mins, forceps with ZERO pain relief (no time), enormous tear, never fully recovered, still piss myself with every sneeze 10 years later.

During that ELCS I lost half my blood volume and then developed an autoimmune disease, maybe from the blood transfusion or maybe from the trauma of it. Recovery HUGELY easier than the forceps induction.

DC3 was a second ELCS and it went swimmingly. Loved it!

ELCS entirely different kettle of fish to emergency though. Induction then EMCS is surely the most awful combo. My friend was in labour for FOUR DAYS after induction, they just left her there and in the end they did forceps which was pretty ruinous. I told her on day 2 to demand a section!

I've had 4. My first was an emergency. I got told that my pelvis was too small for me to have a baby naturally weighing over 4 pounds. After you have had 2 c sections a vbac is not usually recommended. This is what I was told by the consultant anyway.

I had two C sections, both before Labour started.

They were brilliant. I loved being in control, and that I could take so much of the uncertainty out of meeting my daughters. Good recoveries too.

I think it is the easy option, and I’m all for it.

I had an emergency section after being in labour for nearly two days with pretty much no progress. It was fine, I was up and about the next day although we had to stay in hospital for a week as DS was poorly and wouldn’t feed.

To be honest, after seeing some of the threads on here where women are left with awful birth injuries which are ignored by the NHS, I wouldn’t blame anyone for opting for a c-section rather than go through a vaginal birth. Maternity and post natal care in the UK is dire and you have to protect yourself and your baby the best way possible.

The idea of a c-section terrified me. You see so many women upset that the feel they didn’t “do it properly”. I absolutely love that you are completely unapologetic and confident in your choice.

Both my boys were c section.

First was emmergency after 2 days labour, 'failure to progress' and eventually his heartbeart slowed so I was rushed in for the section.

Second, I opted for a 'trial of labour' (so waited for labour to start naturally). Waters broke the day before his due date, went in and was monitored overnight, baby distressed so csection the next day with a spinal block this time. That one was classed as elective.

Couldn't care less about the mode of delivery of my gorgeous boys. In the old days, perhaps they would not have been here or I wouldn't have been here to know them.

I’ve had two c-sections.

My first was due to an issue with my placenta that caused IUGR in baby. Section was the safest way she could arrive. Labour/contractions would have put compressions on the cord and further reduced the oxygen she was already lacking and they said that even if I tried to have her by induction she was so light that it likely would result in an emergency c section as she was too light for gravity to help her way down the birth canal.

my second was an emergency due to trying a VBAC, water broke and didn’t progress for 48 hours, was given the option of a induction but most induction stories I’ve heard result in a c section or forceps or something unexpected anyway, so I opted for what I know, a calm and quiet c section.

I dont regret having a c section, but I do mourn my lack of experience with labour.

2 planned maternal choice c sections.

Looked at the stats/ odds. It’s the safest bet so that’s what I chose.

Bloody hurts though! Pretty sure all births hurt though.

Induction, maternal age, obesity, issues picked up now that wouldn’t have been picked up 40 years ago where ‘a C-section would probably be safest’ (such as large/small baby, placenta previa).

I had 2 vaginal deliveries, one was medicalised but calm and not traumatic, the other utterly awful due to negligent midwives who were subsequently forced to go through training.

The majority of midwives are frankly useless and I think letting them run the show is a huge mistake. They do very little bar obs and ‘yeah I’ll ask about that when I get a moment’.

My first is due mid next year. I was so so torn about what I wanted to do with regards to delivering the baby.

After speaking to friends, family, work colleagues etc I could not find one single woman who didn’t say “if I knew then what I knew now I would have just had a planned c section.”

They all had a multitude of birth stories. Some ended with a vaginal birth others an emergency c section and the general consensus was that a planned c section would be what they’d choose if they had their experience again.

Had 3 vaginal and one EMCS, the vagina were a lot easier. I was in so much pain post recovery with the c-section and it was hard to breastfeed.

My midwife encouraged me to have a c-section due to my age. She was an experienced midwife, really sensible advice and I trusted her implicitly, but was on the fence as to whether to opt for one. I did go into labour naturally, but needed inducing during as I wasn’t progressing fast enough, and then had an emergency c-section as I developed sepsis. So I would say that I could have easily requested one in advance. As for why, well I suppose increased maternal age in some cases might be one factor.

Age is a huge factor. I wouldn’t even consider a vaginal delivery if I was a first time mum over the age of about 37.

The figure I read was 42% which isn’t half but half sounds more dramatic for a story. Apparently it’s down to a mix of older mums and doctors not being able to do assisted deliveries anymore. I had two natural births (no drugs) so don’t really get why anyone chooses a ccsection, recovery is so much easier from vaginal delivery (I was in the shops 24 hours later buying smaller clothes as dd was a smaller than expected) obviously when medically required is different

Personally I think midwives just aren’t interested in encouraging natural delivery. Mine sat on the computer in the corner of the room until it was time to push, then just stood by the bed. Couldn’t have been less interested - clueless, and almost like they weren’t really sure why they were there.

Agreed. Due to the midwives discussing their latest craft project I ended up spending weeks in agony, and being rushed into a different hospital due to a post-natal emergency. That hospital were appalled with my treatment and put in a complaint themselves

Mine was an emergency, a dramatic running down the corridor one, so of course don't regret it.

The state of maternity and my experience during my prior VB, plus my age, mean if I had another now it would 100% be ELCS. I don't trust either the midwifery profession to facilitate appropriate pain relief in labour (bitter experience) or the wider NHS to be resourced enough to provide it. I attribute no value to VBAC.

Planned for a natural (c-section was never even discussed at any of my MW appointments after they’d asked my preference), ended up with EMCS due to placental abruption