Scheduling C-Sections for Convenience Nurses Thoughts?

[ECKPowers]

In the past few months I've heard of Ob's actually scheduling C-sections for convenience.

A friend of mine recently went to a local OB when she found out she was pregnant. At the first appointment the doc informed her he would schedule a c-section when her time came. At the first visit? He went as far as to imply that a c-section or induced labor is far more confenient for both the mother and the doctor. We did some polls of other women in the community, and the story was the same throughout. One mother of four reported the OB informed her that there is less of a risk of malpractice with c-section. (Yes, she switched doctors)

Ummm... that seems ridiculous!

As a woman who has given birth, I know well the body's natural instincts toward pregnancy and labor. Our bodies are designed for pregnancy and childbirth. I would think that natural birth would be best for mother and baby.

And to schedule major surgery for convenience borders on ethics violations.

Or am I completely missing something?

As nurses have you witnessed something like this? Your thoughts on it?

[NIGHTWOLF87]

working here in the nicu, we are the one's who attend every c-section. it is very common for the obs to schedule a c/s out of convenience. you want to know when the busiest time for scheduled c/s? try the thurs or fri before a major holiday weekend. docs don't like coming in on holiday weekends, at least that has been my experience.

[justiceforjoy]

That is terrible. I'd do a home birth before I'd consider scheduling myself for a c-section.

I was really blessed with an amazing doctor that didn't ever mention the C-word to me. Ended up having a natural birth even though my daughter was facing the wrong way (not breech; she was sunny side up instead of down and turning).

[RN1982]

Ever seen The business of Being Born, the movie by Ricki Lake. I will NEVER have pitocin to speed up my contractions just so some doctor can make it home for the ballgame or dinner. I prefer a much more natural birth and when I do have a baby, I would rather have it in a birthing center with midwives. I'm also interested in water birth, just fascinates me.

[Cassaundra]

I have always found this to be rather disconcerting. A woman's body is meant to handle things like childbirth and just cutting the baby out rather than explaining what happens in labor is just plain lazy on the MD's part. I also don't like it when the standing policy is to start an IV and other such nonsense for normally progressing labor.

[changeofpaceRN]

I don't think it's right to consider it for convenience. There are more complications that can arise for both the mom and baby in a c-section. Babies are more likely to develop pneumonia ect.. It's one thing for a medical necessity but to select the day your kid is born and avoid the labor pains is just not right. The scheduled c-sections seemed to have increase over the past few years with the hollywood stars doing the same. All these medical breakthroughs that are being abused need to stop. Clear the room for those that NEED it.

[RN1982]

I agree. These hollywood stars are making it seem like a lady partsl birth is taboo. Why have a c-section if its not necessary?

[VICEDRN, BSN, RN]

I don't think it's right to consider it for convenience. There are more complications that can arise for both the mom and baby in a c-section. Babies are more likely to develop pneumonia ect.. It's one thing for a medical necessity but to select the day your kid is born and avoid the labor pains is just not right. The scheduled c-sections seemed to have increase over the past few years with the hollywood stars doing the same. All these medical breakthroughs that are being abused need to stop. Clear the room for those that NEED it.

The last line is a really good point. They keep those operating rooms hopping! What if someone really needs a section?

My daughter was a planned section but she was breach and large for dates (measured on US) so when we weighed our options this seemed best. I don't think that is should just for convenience though.

[tfleuter, BSN, RN]

I've never had a c-section, but I was induced for my first child and the experience was horrible. My doctor recommended it as my blood pressure kept climbing and we were worried about preclampsia. So even though I feel that the OB had my best intrests in mind, I still don't ever want to be induced with Pitocin ever again. I was 3 weeks early and barely even dialated to 1cm. The intensity and durations of the contractions that came as the pitocin kicked in was almost more than I could bare (I don't claim to be tough though, lol!) and it tooks hours for me to get to 2cm, in which they finally decided to give me an epidural.

My second birth went much, much more smoothly. The contractions I was having at home were much more milder and as I was going to the hospital, I was convinced I wasn't in true labor b/c I wasn't in enough pain (I was comparing to my first labor). How suprised I was to find out I was already 6cm when they checked me in!

I can't speak on C-sections, but after my experience I can't imagine why anyone would want to be induced unless medically necessary.

[TessaMae]

When I was pregnant with my 9 year old, I went from 8cm to 10cm in 2 minutes and pushed for 8 minutes. When i was pregnant with my 3 year old, I asked my doctor during my first trimester if he would entertain the idea of inducing me when it got close. I wanted this not only because I had no interest in giving birth on the side of the highway but because we didn't have any family or friends that we trusted near our home to watch our son if I went into labor in the middle of the night and my husband is constantly on the road for his job wanted to make sure he was there. My doctor was honest with me from the start that he would induce my labor as long as there were no complications etc. I know many women have had horrible experiences with being induced, luckily I did not. I went in at 9pm, got cervadil put in to soften my cervix,at 8am they placed the epidural and started the pitocin. At 12, I was 5 cm dilated, about 5 minutes later I felt a really bad cramp, pushed my call bell, the nurse thought I was crazy, but sure enough I was 10cm...had my son 5 minutes later. personally, I don't know if I would ever schedule a c-sec, but I have friends that needed a c-sec with their first and decided to have an elective with their second, my sister chose to have a c-sec with her third because she and her 2nd nearly died during labor. I guess to each their own.

[madnurse2b]

I did have someone in nursing school who was scheduled for induction so she wouldn't miss clinicals. Couldn't decide whether that was smart, or callous.

[SiennaGreen]

A good friend, who is expecting, just informed me that her OB's office just put a big sign up by the front desk stating that insurance companies were no longer readily paying for unneccesary cesarean deliveries and to discuss this with your provider if you intended to schedule a C section to be certain that you qualify.

I though that was interesting (and a good thing...just my 2 cents) but I'm sure if you really wanted one, you could find a way to beat the insurance system.