OT: Getting Pregnant..

[ThreeMusketeers]

I have a doctors appt. next week, but I just couldn't wait that long to find out the awnser to this ?, and I can't seem to find the awnser anywhere on the net.

During the Delivery of my first child, I had to have an Emergency C section. While I was in surgury, the Doctor tore my Uterus. They didn't say anything about me having trouble getting pregnant again or that it would pose any risk to a new pregnancy. But I was curious if this had happened to anyone else, and if it effected their pregnancy's afterward.

Thanks so much.

 

[liquid]

I have never heard that this could affect your fertility or the safety of a new pregnancy. What I have heard/read is this - you probably (maybe definitely?) will not be a candidate for a VBAC due to the risks. Your uterus could tear during labor - I believe that the exact term is uterine breach.

I've had 5 c-sections but my uterus (thankfully) never tore. Even so, after my third I stopped trying for a VBAC.

Your OB/GYN *should* be your best source of information. If you don't trust him/her to give you plenty of information, I would advise you to find another one. I was not happy with my first two but I am very confident with my current one, who delivered my last two children.

HTH and blessings to you!

 

[hogwartsdropout]

Try this site. Very friendly!

http://www.babynamesworld.com/forum/forum19.html

 

[skooniebird]

The only thing I'm aware of ( because my SIL had the same thing with her 1st child) is that for her next 4 ( YES 4! ) pregnancies they always did extra ultrasounds her last 8 weeks or so and scheduled her for C-sections about 10 to 14 days ahead of her due date so that she didn't go into natural labor where there was a small chance of her uterus rupturing. But it all worked out fine for them. They never had monster 8 and nine pound babies like I did, but they were still between 6 and 7 1/2 pounds and healthy. Good Luck.

 

[Bird-Mom]

I am a student midwife and midwife's assistant, and I haven't come across anything that a uterine tear would contribute towards fertility problems. It should not pose any safety problems unless it was a huge tear. As a pp said, my guess is that you will not be a VBAC candidate, but that could depend on the actual tear, the type of uterine incision that you have, and if you had a single or double layer of stitches. Was the tear along the incision or in a different place? If it was along the incision-thereby creating a longer horizontal incision-some of the midwives I know would probably take you as a VBAC client. YMMV. Get your surgery records-especially if you are going to a different provider. You will likely get some extra ultrasounds if you consent to them. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions!

 

[java]

I have a partial hole in my uterus- after baby number 3 a fibroid ruptured during the c-sect. I guess that Dr. never repaired my uterus. So during my c with baby 4 my new Dr. says what is up with this hole? You are lucky that you didn't rupture your uterus. You can not have any more children.*I am also 40 so I think that played a big part in that comment and I also have 4 children. I think a tear repairs easier than a hole. And I think it also depends on where your tear is. Good luck and happy baby making!

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

Thank you everyone, for your thoughtful replies. Now I am wondering what actually happened, how do I get my medical records from the surgery? Will they give them to me in person, or do I need to have them given to another doctor?

 

[Samers532]

I too am a midwifery student and am on the ICAN yahoo group. First, I highly suggest joining this group or at least going to the ICAN website. I am not allowed to post links yet) to get more information, specifically the white pages. Those ladies KNOW their stuff, they live and breathe cesarean and VBAC research.

About the OB tearing your uterus, this is actually a pretty common method that is done in cesareans.

Warning a slightly graphic description follows:






The Dr. will start the incision and make it big enough to get his/her fingers in there and then tear the tissue, the logic in this is that it will heal better as tears heal better than cuts as the skin will usually fall naturally back where it 'naturaly' tore especially since the uterus goes from a watermelon size down to a grapefruit in a matter of hours and, as it was explained to me, is that (quote) "when the body is cut with a scalpel the body doesn't get the proper trauma messages to beging knitting together and healing, think of how irritating a paper cut on your finger is. With trauma the body heals more rapidly".

Also the difference in outcome of single or double layer sutures is not proven. This does not exclude the option of a VBAC from all that I have read. This mostly depends on your care provider and what they are personally comfortable with and believe, which isn't necessarily what the research says so please be sure you are correctly informed.

(read: The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth and Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities both by Henci Goer).

I highly suggest getting your medical records, specifically your surgical report. Often they will charge you for your records. But they are YOUR records and by law you are entitled to them and they HAVE to give them to you even if they do charge you. The charge is, IMO, their way of trying to persuade you not to get your records (for fear of a law suit I imagine). Though if you have another care provider (like a midwife )that is willing to order your records for you and then give them to you, or better yet, read them with you and explain everything, that is a great way to go as that is almost always free. Another thing you could perhaps try to get them for free is to go and say you are moving, when I moved and got my records for myself and 2 children the hospital records department said it would be a few days and didn't charge me a penny. Go straight to the records department and not through your OB.

Also there has been a lot of discussion on the ICAN group lately about fertility issues post cesarean and I am sure they would have lots of information for you about this as well.

Again, please, go to the ICAN website and/or join the yahoo group and even find an ICAN chapter near you if you haven't already.

Love and light to you on your journey!

 

[lilpixie]

ThreeMuskateers -- you can definately have access to your medical records. You can order a copy -- but beware, they will charge big bucks sometimes for the copying. Or, you can request that your doctor go over your file with you and explain things (I don't understand all the medical jargon, so I asked my doc to explain everything).
With my 1st DD, I had a placenta abruption and had to have an emergency c-section. I also had to have a blood transfusion. My regular OB was out of town, and I ended up with a resident doing my emergency c-section (of course, supervised by an experienced OB). This resident never even told me that my placenta abrupted -- I had no idea of what was going on -- only that I needed an emergency c-section. I didn't ask too many questions at the time because my baby was so premature and I was so freaked out by everything. Long story short -- feel free to ask any questions of your doctor! I got the feeling later that I didn't need a blood transfusion -- apprently there was a mishap in the lab and my levels were mis-counted and I probably didn't need the transfusion. I dug and dug trying to figure this out and my HMO was pretty hush hush about it. Frustrating. But my regular doc did sit down with me, explained what a placenta abruption was, and any future risks for pregnancies. He was very kind and helpful.
Good luck to you!!
p.s. I went on to have 2 other healthy, beautiful princesses!!

 

[emh1129]

I requested the records from my old OB when I decided to switch to a midwife. I wasn't charged anything for the records, but I know that some practices do that.
I agree with a lot of the suggestions above~ I'm also on ICAN and it's a fantastic e-mail list- so much information! Definitely get the Henci Goer books, too.
I had a c/s with my first and went on to have a great VBAC with a big baby.

Good luck with the babymaking