Healthy women schedule C-sections to prevent vaginal stretching

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Has anyone personally encountered this, or known a doctor who would do it?

There's been press about this in the past few years, along with a "too posh to push" philosophy, and it seems very disturbing on so many levels. I don't have a link handy, but one story even said that in Brazil, the C-section rate for middle class women exceeds 90%! :down: It's actually considered disgraceful in some circles to deliver lady partslly, according to the source.

Every woman I have ever known who has experienced both has said that a lady partsl birth is MUCH less painful, even a very traumatic delivery vs. a c-section with no labor at all.

Keep in mind that this is not a criticism of necessary c-sections.

Specializes in OB.

One point of this and other recent posts that keeps coming up that I think needs clarifying is "supporting the patient's right to choose". In my opinion, supporting her right to choose doesn't mean that I have to think she is making the right choice. In some cases I think it is absolutely the wrong choice or really stupid (the girl with the labial piercings or the guy with the "jacob's ladder" piercings come to mind here). I think the vanity of the patient I had who had a labial reduction so she would "look better wearing a thong" was over the top! Sorry, hon, no matter what you do it still isn't the prettiest body part! Nonetheless they do have that right and if I expect to be able to assert MY right to choose, I have to support hers.

However, I do think that in the case of elective c/sections the surgical consent should be required to include the facts of the increased risks to the infant as well as the mother. And while I'll be right there with your meds, don't expect me to be very impressed when you complain "But nobody told me it would feel this bad" postop!

One point of this and other recent posts that keeps coming up that I think needs clarifying is "supporting the patient's right to choose". In my opinion, supporting her right to choose doesn't mean that I have to think she is making the right choice. In some cases I think it is absolutely the wrong choice

I'm mostly with you; however, when it comes to today's spiraling health care costs (which ALL of us end up paying for), I don't support the right of people to choose options which end up costing ME. If someone wants an elective c/s, how about paying for it out of pocket?

I wish elective c/s would come to be looked upon like smoking. Yeah, it's legal, but it's unhealthy and kind of frowned upon. It requires a culture change led by the disapproving. :nono:

Specializes in L&D, High Risk OB, OR, Med-Surg, PHN.

]Knew an MD that performed an elective c-section for a lawyers wife because the lawyer didn't want any kids to come out of the lady parts because that was his "play area". How selfish. He didn't care too much for his wife or family because so many things could happen to her and then he would have to raise his kids on his own. :smilecoffeeIlovecof

Lisa

]Knew an MD that performed an elective c-section for a lawyers wife because the lawyer didn't want any kids to come out of the lady parts because that was his "play area". How selfish. He didn't care too much for his wife or family because so many things could happen to her and then he would have to raise his kids on his own. :smilecoffeeIlovecof

]Lisa

Was she a 3rd world mail order bride, or was she really stupid or naive or using him for his money? I have known women who married men like this and they were almost always more dysfunctional than their husbands.

I work with a woman whose first child was an emergency c-section due to arrest of descent (he was quite large) and her second was a VBAC because she had a very rapid labor. Our hospital no longer does VBACs except for the reason I just mentioned, and she would love to have a third child but she knows the difference and she DOES NOT want one enough to go through another c-section.

Specializes in CCRN, ATCN, ABLS.

DW worked in L&D in McAllen, TX and all this women would come from the other side of the border, and husbands would ask for c-sections, so that their lady parts's would not stretch. The nerve! The interesting fact is that some docs did them! Here in America! Some patients would come with a little notebook and would write everything that happened, in case someone did something wrong. Healthcare delivery was driven by fear.

Whatever....

Wayunderpaid

I repeat everything I said on my October post ........WHY ARE INSURANCE COMPANIES PAYING FOR UNNECCESSARY SURGERIES ??? I have seen docs make up reasons, such as repeat C/S.......on a primip. High leaks are a good one too. We have one doc who is inducing and sectioning 35 weekers as that is our limit at our facility. Last night he pondered inducing a 15 year old 34 weeker !!! ( He is leaving on vacation ........can't miss out on a fee !! ) He mumbled something about being "borderline". Isn't a normal pregnancy 40 weeks !!!!!!!!!!

Bottom line, we are helpless pawns in an industry like any other where the bottom line is the almighty dollar. I am tired of leaving work every night knowing #1. I was not able to give the care I am capable of giving and # 2. I was not able to give the care the patient deserves. And even worse, NO ONE CARES except other helpless nurses caught in the same beaurocratic mess !!

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I think having to pay for elective primary c/s out-of-pocket is a fabulous idea.

Specializes in Labor and Delivery & ICU.

I think having a 4th degree tear with one baby is a perfectly good reason to have a c/s for your next. Jeepers! She'll probably have pelvic floor problems for the rest of her life.

Specializes in L & D and Mother-Baby.

I have also experienced lady partsl birth (twins born lady partslly) and a c-section. I would take that lady partsl birth over and over rather than try to recover from major abdominal surgery while caring for a newborn! OUCH! Having your belly cut is never more comfortable than some stitches down below! With that said, I would fully support my patient who had previously delivered a 10pounder over a 4th degree and wanted to opt for a c-section the second time around!

And that is why I left nursing...

And that is why I left nursing...

And MANY MANY MORE NURSES TO FOLLOW YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i just laugh when they say they dont want to get all stretched. What, the weight of the baby and uterus does most of the stretching anyway, blah, noobs. I just dont get it. If they want an elective, make them watch a video of one first, then make them pay.......mmmhhwwhwhwhwhahahahahahahahah:rolleyes:

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