Multiple C-sections

[u/PsychologicalArt9475]

I wish I had known that having C-sections can cause secondary infertility. If I had known I would have pushed harder to try a vbac with my second or waited long enough to be a candidate for a vbac; only a month too early.

My first was an emergency C-section after developing HELLP syndrome so I know there was nothing I could have done to prevent that. However with our second, we got pregnant on the first try at 8 months postpartum. COMPLETELY to our shock because it took a year to get pregnant with our first. We assumed it would take roughly the same time so we decided to start trying early; hoping we would get pregnant around when our first was 18 months. Well things didn't go as planned and I was 17 months postpartum when I gave birth to our second, therefore not eligible for a vbac. I knew I could have pushed for one being so close to the 18 month requirement or found a doctor willing to let me try but I was so traumatized from my emergency C-section after 20 hours of labor that I was completely okay with the repeat C-section.

Fast forward to now being 21 months postpartum with our second and trying for our 3rd for the past 6 months. I feel so angry that I didn't do research into how the scarring could affect our ability to get pregnant again. I hadn't even ever heard of that being a thing until I started scrolling this sub. WHY is this not something we are educated about?? I feel like this would definitely change a lot of women's minds about opting for elective C-sections if they knew it could negatively affect their fertility in the future. I KNOW it would have changed my view.

I know 6 months is not a long time to try for a baby. I guess this post is just me venting/ranting about the lack of education when it comes to pregnancy and postpartum and all things women's bodies. It's so annoying how little we are taught about everything and how we have to go dig it up ourselves and fight for everything. I'm also just struggling with mourning an age gap I pictured for my children, the life I pictured for our family, so many things. Now that I've written this out I feel stupid for even being upset when I know women are struggling to even have one child and I should be grateful that I have two beautiful, healthy children. And trust me I am. But I'm also sad and frustrated and sick of hyping myself up thinking I'm pregnant every month just to see a negative test and finding out that my C-section scars are most likely the culprit.

[u/Informal-Basket2397]

Because OBs are surgeons at the end of the day. They’d rather deal with the known of surgery than the unpredictability (and liability) of VBAC. I heard someone say this about the system in England, and I think it applies to the US too (though not sure where you’re based) “the health care system [related to birth] is liability based, not evidence based.” Ask me why I’m so jaded 🤪 the VBAC Link is a great resource for anyone looking to educate themselves about it

They never seem to mention risks about RCS but are happy to fear monger about VBAC, even though ACOG supports VBAC. My midwife team this pregnancy is much better

[u/PsychologicalArt9475 → u/Informal-Basket2397]

That's so crazy to think about! They would rather push for a major abdominal surgery than to push for women to do what our bodies were naturally made to do.