C-section rights for everyone on NHS??

[babyblog]

I just don't think c sections are seen as the 'easy' choice. From reading this board, and speaking to people my age, most are aghast that anybody would choose a section so i honestly don't think there would be a massive rise

 

[lisaf]

I think that choice is a tricky thing. People may not make the choice that is best for them, even if adequately informed. Is it their right to make a poor choice or should there be some protection from it?

If you think you broke your leg, your doctor says its just a sprain and is very confident about it, should you have the right to insist on an ex-ray anyway? What about the risks of exposing yourself to more radiation vs. the risk of a limb being broken when a trained professional sees no signs that there is a break.
In our society, they tend to do the ex-ray just to be safe, but is it really safer in the long run?

Another example is getting an MRI done... many many people have abnormalities that cause no problems at all, but if you come in with pain issues, they do an MRI, they see the abnormality and say 'ah hah!, you have X wrong with you, you need surgery'. The person then gets surgery, has a painful recovery and may end up just a debilitated from the surgery as they were from the pain.

They recently started recommending against routine prostate screening for men, because most men, once given the diagnosis of prostate cancer will opt for treatment, when most prostate cancers will not kill you before other ways will since its usually a slow-growing cancer. Yet there are risks to treatment and some men do damage their health or even die from treatment.


I do think that c-sections should be done only with the consult of a medical professional. There are many who do have genuine psychological or even past traumatic experiences that will make a c-section a good option, even if many may not think its a 'medical' need.

Planned c-sections are much safer than emergency ones.
But look at the US... c-sections are readily available here, not that hard to get and we have a MUCH higher c-section rate than the UK. I was told I should have one, but did my own research and tried it naturally. I had no trouble delivering (other than a long labor and a minor tear).
There are some risks to the baby regardless of if its an emergency or planned c-section. Doctors feel its 'safer' because they feel in control of the outcome.

 

[JASMAK]

I would be okay with this if it weren't for the short staffing issue.
Also because NHS is public money... I don't think it's very fair.

It takes staff and money for all births, to me, that is a weak arguement for denying someone the birth of their choice.

 

[MonstHer]

A person in a life or death situation needs to always have priority over a voluntary birth choice. Especially if the hospital is low staffed.
I wouldn't go to a hospital if it ran any differently with other procedures. Voluntary c-sections are no different.

 

[MonstHer]

"Excuse me Ma'am, but you and/or your child have to die because someone else is having the voluntary procedure you desperately need at this moment."

Um no thanks... That's one conversation I don't want to have with hospital staff.

 

[JASMAK]

"Excuse me Ma'am, but you and/or your child have to die because someone else is having the voluntary procedure you desperately need at this moment."

Um no thanks... That's one conversation I don't want to have with hospital staff.

I seriously doubt that would ever happen.

 

[MonstHer]

It may not be those exact words, but if the surgeon is busy in an elective C section when I'm about to die, they legally can't leave the OR where that patient is. So I'm out of luck.
Hence, why I don't agree with this policy when the hospital is short staffed.

 

[JASMAK]

it's scare-monogering...and untrue. No one is going to leave anyone to die, even if it means getting a physician who isn't an OB. Maybe if you lived in India or Ughanda...but no, that just doesn't happen on a daily basis. My sister is a nurse...and they have procedures...it's not a big gong show. lol

 

[MonstHer]

LoL. I was a surgical tech. I know how OR procedures work.
A surgeon not trained in the field can't legally give me a c section.
Hahahahaaaa that's like begging for a law suit and media attention he/she doesn't want.

 

[indy and lara]

Honestly I cannot see a situation where in the UK, women will be routinely left to die because someone else is having a C-Section. I do think this is scaremongering. Part of the increased costs would also include, I would imagine, costs for additional staff.

 

[BabyN2010]

Hospitals do not only have one OR or one surgeon or surgery team. So the likeliness of an emergency being told they would have to wait while someone else was having a planned section is extremely unlikely and I am sure as part of the new recommendations on the NHS they would have to ensure enough medical personal to ensure this would not happen. This would also ensure less cuts to medical staff.

A woman in need of an emergency c-sec will ALWAYS take priority. I was booked in for a planned c-sec and it was explained extensively to me that I would have to call in on the day to find out my admission time and my c-sec may have to be delayed depending on if there were any emergency c-secs which will take priority. ( I landed up going in as an emergency as my son had other plans and decided to come 2 weeks earlier)

The surgery itself is 45min to an hour max, so surgeons would not be in the OR all day and tied up, and as I just mentioned, I highly doubt there would only be one room or one surgery team.

Whats funny is that even in a normal delivery there are issues - enough midwives, enough beds available and mothers in labour being turned away - so if the argument is timing and availability - a planned c-sec is easier to ensure issues do not arise as you are booked in, staff are scheduled. And as its planned before you go into labour, if an emergency happens, you can wait.

Like so many have said - its choice, let those who need that choice have the right to make it, with all the info, make classes on c-secs available, educate women on the decision and support them in it, its their right. If they choose it and regret it - well its their bodies, their lives - Live and let live as well as live and learn.

xx

 

[MonstHer]

When a patient has placental abruption or is hemorrhaging, a 45-30 minute delay is not enough time to help them. They need help right then, need to be cut immediately. I really think its something one can only understand when you've seen it with your own eyes.
It's not scare mongering.
I for one would not go to a hospital who worked under these procedures, while the hospital is shortstaffed.

 

[JASMAK]

When a patient has placental abruption or is hemorrhaging, a 45-30 minute delay is not enough time to help them. They need help right then, need to be cut immediately. I really think its something one can only understand when you've seen it with your own eyes.
It's not scare mongering.
I for one would not go to a hospital who worked under these procedures, while the hospital is shortstaffed.

When I was diagnosed with placental abruption, I was not cut open immediately (or at all, actually)! That's not always that answer. Sometimes you are sent home!! And when I hemmoraged right after my son's birth, my OB came from prepping for surgery. And when my baby's heart rate was dropping during contractions, even though they were super busy, I was priority and they called the OB during surgery and I don't know what they did, but he came right away. My sister says they call people in if they are short or something comes up and there is always someone on call from the ER too. I think that there is more to it than you think, is all.

 

[indy and lara]

Monsther, a situation where someone needs emergency surgery could happen at anytime, including when surgeons are currently doing a C-Section. This for me is not a reason to say women cannot choose to have C-Section deliveries. As others have said, with any scheduled section in the UK you know that should an emergency occur then your op will be delayed.

 

[BabyN2010]

When a patient has placental abruption or is hemorrhaging, a 45-30 minute delay is not enough time to help them. They need help right then, need to be cut immediately. I really think its something one can only understand when you've seen it with your own eyes.
It's not scare mongering.
I for one would not go to a hospital who worked under these procedures, while the hospital is shortstaffed.

Again hospitals do not only have one OR or one surgery team. If this is a major concern when given the choice of where you would like to give birth, take that into your consideration. ( how many operating rooms, how many midwives, surgical personal etc)

Who knows, the NHS may hire people specifically for planned sections who can also assist in emergency situations ( including forceps and other assisted deliveries )

But just because you feel so strongly about your choice, doesn't mean others should be denied theirs.

 

[Janidog]

I laboured at home for 2 days (i was meant to be having a home birth) and then finally i had to go in to hospital. 7 hrs later when the consultant checked the babies head, my son as facing the wrong way and was well and truly stuck, so of i went for an emergency c-section. Had the midwives realised the baby was in the wrong position then i would have had my c-section a lot sooner which would meant that they could have been looking after other mothers.

I will not be attempting another VBAC instead I shall be booked in for a planned c-section

 

[babyblog]

When a patient has placental abruption or is hemorrhaging, a 45-30 minute delay is not enough time to help them. They need help right then, need to be cut immediately. I really think its something one can only understand when you've seen it with your own eyes.
It's not scare mongering.
I for one would not go to a hospital who worked under these procedures, while the hospital is shortstaffed.

BUt there could be any number of people in surgery at any one time. There could be numerous EMCS going on at one time, planned c sections do not mean less staff for others as they are planned and can therefore be re-arranged. The NHS is constantly juggling it's patients needs, it is nothing new .