Fibroid in the way for natural delivery AND caesar!
Here I am again, looking for your invaluable advice!
I'm 21 weeks with my first and have three fibroids - one in the opening of my cervix. It's grown two centremetres since my 12 week scan so is now measuring at 6cms. My Ob is concerned that it will block a natural delivery as it may not leave enough room for bub to go past. The positioning of the fibroid is right where the incision needs to go for a caesar, so he doesn't want to do that because the risk of cutting into the fibroid is extremely high and once cut open, the bleeding is virtually impossible to stop - best case scenario is a hystorectomy, worst case I don't even want to think about it!
So he's talking about a caesar which will be a vertical incision down the middle of my belly. He said it hasn't been commonly done since the 1940s and once I have one of these, there is no chance of having a baby any other way.
Has anyone else experienced anything like this? What's the recovery time? Any advice or stories that anyone can provide will be much appreciated!
Just some more hugs.
There is still the occasional woman with a vertical c/s. (Can't think of the name of it.)
I really hope everything goes well for you.
That's usually called a "classical" incision - they do usually mean that any future babe will need to be born by casear as there is a higher risk of uterine rupture with a vbac than a lower transverse incision (the one they commonly use now).
Before going down that path, you could think about getting a second opinion. If it's the only way then...nothing lost. But if it's not, it's worth finding out.
A lady that comes to my playgroup has had 6 kids & I think 2 where clasic csections.
But what I was going to ask.. Is there any reason why they couldn't just do the incision slightly higher so it was above the fibroid? Surely they don't get out a ruler & make sure every c section in performed in the exact same spot?
Oh, how stressful for you. I don't have any experience, but just wanted to second Tobily's suggestion of getting a second opinion... Let us know how you get on.
When I read your post I felt like I was reading about myself. I assume you've had the baby by now, so my reply won't be that helpful...
I have a large low lying fibroid which according to the dr prevented natural birth, and was in the way of a bikini cut cesarean. I had a classic cut, starting about 5cm above my belly button, down to my pelvic bone (or thereabouts). My baby was fine, a beautiful baby girl. She is now two and brings us great joy.
To this day I become depressed when I think about her birth. Even if it is true that I couldn't have given birth naturally, and that I needed general anaesthetic and all the rest... there are some things that were really important to me that I could have fought for (eg. immediate skin to skin contact with my baby, waiting for labour to start before doing a cesar rather than booking it in in advance...). No one can change the fact that I wasn't there for the birth of my own baby, but some things could have made it A LOT better than it was.
So, my advice, even though a little late, is to explore all your options, don't just take the advice of your obstetrician he/she doesn't tell you everything. Look into having a doula to help you with your birth plan, even if it is a cesar birth plan. Not sure where you live, but 'birthbuddies' might be a good place to start searching online.
I had a fibroid in much the same place. it grew to 6cm at 20weeks scan. I had to have a scan at 36 weeks to check on it and it had vanished without a trace! Possibly impoleded while I was pg but I didnt have the associated pain so I will never know.
DD was born in March 2009, ala natural!!! No gas, no epidural. She got past the fibroids I still vividly remember the relief when after my last scan and examination, when my ob said "your baby has dropped past the fibroid".
The last few days before she was born, I had this thing sticking out of me, you can see it in my belly photos, and I assumed it was an elbow or a knee, but was told later it was the biggest fibroid. As the pregnancy went on, they got bigger and bigger, and I got more and more stressed, but somehow DD managed it and I managed a natural birth.
The only problem I'm facing now is for subsequent pregnancies. I need to have the fibroids removed now that they've shrunk, before I think about having another baby. I miscarried my first at 9 weeks, and the belief is that bub attached to a fibroid and not me. The risk is there that this will continue to happen and that DD was a lucky one. Wish I had of known this before my pregnancy with her because I would have had them removed before I fell pregnant and not gone through the added angst.
Sorry for my very late update on this, and thanks for asking me about it.
Fibroid in the way for natural delivery AND caesar!
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I can imagine it is all a little scary and upsetting at the moment. I dn't have any advice though.
I still vividly remember the relief when after my last scan and examination, when my ob said "your baby has dropped past the fibroid". 
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