Abdominal surgery during pregnancy

RN2Bn2006 · Dec 11, 2006

I personally had an appendectomy while 22 weeks pregnant. They just made the incision a little further up I believe. I also had to have an epidural or spinal instead of general. Baby was fine. I was observed in L/D for post-op. He was born healthy a few months later.

LizzyL&DRN · Dec 11, 2006

I took care of a mom having a bowel resection at 32 weeks gestation. She had a fairly large piece of necrotic bowel that had to be removed. We did heart tones before and after induction of anesthesia. I believe they started with a spinal but half way through decided to put her under general. We had her on Mag before, during and after. She ended up delivering about 16 hours later. Our perinatologist said most of the time w/ large abdominal surgeries like this one, they will almost always deliver shortly thereafter. Both mom and baby did well, under the circumstances. Oh yeah, and to my shock and awe, when she did deliver the following day, she did lady partslly. Can you imagine?!? Obviously that was the safest way considering her huge vertical incision in her abdomen, but OUCH, that had to hurt pushing with that. We were also ready w/ a warmer and recusitation equipment in the main OR during the surgery just in case they had to deliver if something were to go wrong.

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2006

My friend had an appendectomy at 30 wks. Carried the baby to term no problem. Ah, but what a nice scar...