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?

My only caesarean was an emergency one for DD3. My waters had gone at 35 weeks and within a couple of days she was discharging meconium. Her heart rate also showed some distress. Induction was tried but DD couldn't tolerate the drugs needed for it so a caesarean was the only way she could come out alive and undamaged.

I don't regret my caesarean at all. It certainly saved my DD's life and probably mine too. I was relieved to get it and I recovered from it far more easily than from my two previous "natural" deliveries. Both of those were traumatic in their own ways, particularly when I had DD1 (my first). I still have scarring and a definitely weakened pelvic floor from that and no attempts at exercise could fix it.

Looking back, my only regret is that I didn't have all three by caesarean.

I think that maybe the rise in c-sections could be partly down to the fact that more women are realising that it is actually a choice that is open to them, and that the doom mongers who spout about it being so unsafe and to be avoided at almost all costs are wrong.

There may be other factors too, like doctors not wanting to be sued if/when vaginal birth goes wrong for instance.

Caesarean is a great choice for so many women and it should remain so

Something really interesting from these replies is the various perceptions of having control through your birth experience.

I really didn't want a cesarean for any of my births because I felt like I was handing over control. Each vaginal delivery I felt totally in control, even rejecting intervention with my twins. I had the last say, I let my body go through the motions, and thankfully, no serious issues arised.

I think it's worth noticing that the control argument is very different for different women. Some need organised medical control, which is perfectly fine if that's what helps them have a positive experience. While others want personal low/no assistance control. Health professionals need to prioritise balancing and advocating both scenarios.

I had an elective c section for my only child who was born when I was 41 after many years of infertility and ivf.
I discussed my fears with a consultant when I was 16 weeks pregnant and she agreed a c section was the safest form of delivery for my circumstances. She booked me in for 39 weeks and 2 days at that appointment.
I am glad I had a c section, I knew when to expect my baby and it took a bit of the worry away. I never truly believed I would be bringing home a baby after all these years, I didn’t want to chance something going wrong in natural childbirth.
Baby turned out to be a footling breech so I would have ended up with a section anyway.
c section recovery wasn’t easy, I haemorrhaged and lost 1.5 litres of blood. I have never felt so ill afterwards and recovery was slow. I had lots of help from family though and at last had my darling baby who was perfect and thriving.
Wouldn’t change any of it.

There may be other factors too, like doctors not wanting to be sued if/when vaginal birth goes wrong for instance.

There's greater recognition now of the legal costs the NHS ends up having to front because of botched vaginal births. Cynically, I think this is probably as big a reason as women's autonomy for the move towards allowing MRCS.