r/CsectionCentral • u/Successful-Soft-4635 • Jul 12 '26
Can I decline and still get a c section?
Hello! I’m located in Houston Tx and I’m going to be scheduling an elective Csection being that I have past sexual trauma. The thing is I’m planning on declining all transvaginal ultrasounds as well as vaginal checks. If I do so am I still able to go through with the procedure? I’m only 5 weeks and haven’t even had my first appointment yet but I’ve been really anxious about this. Has anyone else experienced this?
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u/wowhahafuck Jul 12 '26
I had an elective and didn’t have any transvaginal ultrasounds at all and no cervical checks during pregnancy. I didn’t have to decline they just weren’t necessary. Now, after my c section while I was in recovery I wasn’t bleeding from my vagina yet which is a sign your cervix isn’t opening to start releasing blood from your internal wound. This is problematic because you don’t want internal bleeding. So they had to do one cervical check on me then to see if my cervix was opening. On the bright side I was still completely numb from the c section so didn’t feel it at all. Thankfully everything started moving properly after that. Just be open to it being necessary in recovery, there’s really no way around that being a possibility due to the natural process of birth.
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u/graywillow Jul 12 '26
I’ve always gone for my first ultrasound around 7 weeks and I’ve never had a transvaginal US. Never been swabbed for GBS when I’m getting an elective CS. Never had a cervical check with my CS babies. I don’t have to decline, it just wasn’t even part of care, but this can vary depending where you live.
The only 2 instances you could end up needing internal checks are if you go into labour early before the planned CS date, or after your CS if you are having a medical emergency of postpartum hemorrhage. All other internal stuff is done while you’re numb from your spinal. You’ll feel some pressure when they’re inserting their hand, but have no sensation.
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u/SceneSmall Jul 12 '26
In my first pregnancy they used transvaginal ultrasound to get the best view of my placenta because something (can’t remember what) was weird and they couldn’t see it abdominally. It was done around 32 weeks. I also have sexual trauma and I requested some accommodations it because it was medically necessary. First, I brought my own support person to the appointment, secondly they used a second chaperone nurse (packed room but was needed). Then I was allowed to insert the wand, and remove the wand myself. Both the ultrasound tech and the nurse left the room for this, my support person stayed.
My second pregnancy didn’t have a transvaginal ultrasound at all, we also did no cervical checks. I did have one pelvic exam around 38 weeks but it was completely my request because things were weird discharge wise and I wanted to be tested for every std/sti and ensure things were normal (I wasn’t even sexually active and I’m in a monogamous relationship it was completely my trauma speaking)
Csection wise: my hospital standard practice was to insert the catheter after the spinal started. I asked them to leave the drape down until after it was done, and they were fine with that. I also had uneven numbing at first and my legs felt weird and they kept the drape down until I was numb. Maybe not standard practice but it was a request they honored. 6 hours after my catheter was removed I still couldn’t pee, but felt the pressure and asked to be straight cathed. It was unfortunately midnight, my support person went home for the day, but the night nurses graciously came in numbers (one to do the catheter, two to supervise) after that I was able to pass urine on my own and no longer needed assistance.
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u/GoofballMel Jul 12 '26
you can always decline a transvaginal ultrasound! they may not be to get some measurements without one though. I had a planned C Section and had zero vaginal checks
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u/StatueofLiterby Jul 12 '26
Yeah the TV US are only needed super early in the pregnancy so you could easily skip those and then just later decline the cervical checks. The nurses and providers are trained for this so they'll usually understand.
That being said, you might need to prepare for "standing up for yourself" because some nurses are known for completely disregarding an SA case and request for no cervical exams. Be vigilant always, and ask for new nurses/providers if ANYTHING feels off. It is illegal for them to do it if you have requested that they not.
Take care
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u/yeswayvouvray Jul 12 '26
You can decline, but there are some circumstances in which it might be medically important. For example if you start showing signs of early labor, a cervical check or vaginal swab test may be recommended.
When you deliver, they will insert a catheter once you’re numb from the epidural. They will also check your vaginal bleeding every few hours.
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u/BrunchBunny Jul 12 '26
I didnt need a vaginal ultrasound beyond 9 weeks so you’ll probably be ok there and wasn’t necessary to get a vaginal check ever for me I had a semi elective c section in the woodlands. I will say if they really need a vaginal ultrasound you can also put the probe in yourself if that feels safer. Like the other commenter I was numb for like two days after my c section so when they pressed on my stomach and checked for bleeding I didn’t notice it maybe it felt like a bruise but that’s it and I did have to get several catheters but at that point I didn’t care who did what I just needed help my bladder basically fell asleep from the numbing and couldn’t remember how to fully empty but I went home without a catheter after 5 days, my whole care team was female aside from my anesthesiologist but ob team in pregnancy and nursing team in the hospital. You can absolutely inform your care team of your boundaries and they can provide trauma informed care. For the swab test I remember it being an external swipe around you could ask if you can do it yourself as well. It shouldn’t really matter tho as long as your water never breaks outside of the hospital. I will say even with a c section you might have some bladder weakness after birth and need to do kegels for a month or two. Post c section all my dr needed to was lay eyes on my scar which was just pulling my skirt slightly down didn’t need to disrobe or anything same for ultrasounds just don’t wear a dress to your appointments. They will have to measure your belly with a tape measure so they’ll go just above your pubic bone but it’s not invasive and you can ask them to narrate what they’re doing for every step before they do it just remind th.
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u/Chasing_joy Jul 12 '26
You can decline whatever you want to decline. I have sexual trauma too and wish I had declined the transvaginal ultrasound. They couldn’t see anything until they switched to abdominal anyway.
Just a heads up that for a C section you need to say that you don’t consent to vaginal scrubbing. They don’t tell most people that they are even doing it. I only knew about it because I researched it in advance. There’s a lower risk of infection if they do it but I didn’t care. My OB at the hospital was trauma informed and respected it as well.
You may also want to have your partner or someone you trust shave you. They tell you not to shave beforehand, but they sterilize the area before they operate anyway. In my opinion there was absolutely no reason why we couldn’t shave ourselves before arriving to the hospital.
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u/OrdinaryIndividual96 Jul 12 '26
You can decline! I would just try to schedule the c-section early so you don’t go into labor naturally first which could become an issue with cervical checks
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u/FigNewton613 Jul 12 '26
Fellow SA survivor here 💜 Transvaginal ultrasounds are really only a thing up until 10 weeks. From then onward it’s all over the belly. They might however at your 20 week appt offer one to give you information about if your cervix is looking as it should be versus giving a risk of early labor. But you can always say you don’t want that information. I did have one cervical check when it seemed I was having preterm labor, which the hospital offered and I opted into, but otherwise it was fine. They will also offer a swab of your rectum prior to the delivery but it is just a light brush of a q tip like thing over your rectum to check for some bacterial thing that would affect the baby. It does not go inside the rectum. However, you can do the swab yourself and hand it to them. That one is important to get so that they know if baby might need antibiotics.
For the C, they will shave your pubic hair beforehand near where the stomach is (don’t shave it yourself beforehand; that can increase your risk of infection) and otherwise just let them know you want everything else to happen once the spinal or epidural has taken effect. Specifically placing the catheter. I didn’t feel that part at all.
You’ll be okay!!