How many c-sections

[mommyx4]

How many c-sections would you consider *safe* before you felt like you didn't want to take any more chances? I've had 2 csections and will probably have another one with this baby, but I don't want to close the door on having more children. My doctor says he's performed up to 6 on one woman....I would just like to hear your experience..good and bad.

I'm also considering a vbac2 but am concerned about the risks there as well.

[Soror]

An acquaintance had 9. I think that was pushing the limit and there was some scary times for them though. Someone else I know had 3 but had also had a few other abdominal surgeries and was not recommended to do more. It seems to vary largely.

[windmillmarie]

I have had two and might revisit a third down the road. I had a hard time during the c-section and in recovery though and that concerns me. However, these were my last two children and brought us to the number I imagined our family having. If these were my first two, I'd probably try for 4. Or attempt the vba2c under heavy monitoring if I could find someone. It was easy for me to find someone willing to try a vbac because a lot of hospitals by me are trying for this baby friendly hospital inititive. I have no clue about vba2c. I have many friends that have stopped after three, but most of them have a set of twins involved.

[Tabrett]

My SIL had 4 and did fine. She was done having kids after 4, but I think the doc told her not to have any more dc anyway. She also felt 4 c-sections was the max one should have.

 

[happypamama]

I know someone who has had seven c-sections, and I also know someone who has had 2 VBA 3 c-sections, so I think a fair amount of things are possible, depending on other factors.

[1bassoon]

A friend of mine has had 8. Many complications the last few times. I don't foresee her stopping having children, and honestly? It scares me. She tells her doctors to sew her up good, because she'll be back.

[Dory]

My doctor told my best friend that it was dangerous after 3. He said that if a person stops there it gives them room for one mistake afterwards but no one (in his opinion) should be having more than 4. It's just too risky.

[rafgaf4]

I had 4 c-sections with no problems. My doctor did tell me that with each c-section there is a greater risk of problems. Fortunately, everything went well each time.

[lea_lpz]

I've had 2 and discussed the possibility of having 2 more and my ob said that wouldn't be a problem.

[AimeeM]

I've had 3. My OB asked me to not have another child - I had too much scarring.

[tabrizia]

I've had 2, with a VBAC in between. I was told that it wasn't safe for me to have anymore due to various issues during the last one. That being said I think it really varies based on the individual. My Mom had 3 and was told that she shouldn't have anymore back in the early 80s, but her third one was full term twins, which she was also fine with. I think in general most OBs are not that comfortable after 4 or so, but obviously people can and do have more kids via C-sections.

[besroma]

My friend has had six. Her OB said she sees no reason for her not to have another. She asks after every time she has one.

 

My OB says one of her patients has had NINE with no problems!

[TexasRachel]

1vba, 4 csections. My dr implied I should be done with the last one, but we were anyways so I didn't push it.

[LMA]

_{I've had 5. The first and fifth were emergency ones due to pre-eclampsia. My last one was a vertical incision because the dr. on call (not from my practice) wasn't comfortable opening up a horizontal incision or doing a new horizontal one.}

 

_{I don't have a lot of time to explain, but the number of c-sections is dependent on your health, scar tissue, and your own dr.'s confidence in doing multiple c-sections. You need to ask your dr. what they are comfortable in doing. My doctor's record is 8 and she has performed that on several patients. But she's also a great surgeon (unlike the dr. on call who had a lot of trepidation and had to call in some experienced doctors to help her). So I would have been comfortable having more with my own dr., but with the vertical c-section, it pretty much has been chosen for me not to have anymore.}

 

_{Multiple c-sections have been done for decades. A good friend of mine who died a few years ago at 92 had 8 c-sections.}

 

The most important thing is to discuss it with your own OB-GYN.

[extendedforecast]

There is no set 'safe' number. It truly depends on the woman and how her body heals. I had five, though the last one was a surprise baby. I was scared out of my mind about having a fifth c-section. I had so much scar tissue that my last two babies were injured from the birthing process with numerous bruises on their faces.

[historically accurate]

I had 3, as well as 1 other surgery on my uterus. I was told I could have 1 more, possibly 2. We were done, so it didn't matter. My friend had her 3rd c-section shortly after my third and was told that her uterus was like tissue paper and she shouldn't have any more. I think it depends on the woman as well as the surgeon.

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

One was too many for me. Although I did end up with a second one, it was because the uterus was too damaged from the first one. It really depends on how well you heal "from the inside"...

 

You can't go by stats, you're not a statistics.

[Lisa in SC]

I've had 5. Each was for a different reason. I've asked after each, and have always been told it would be fine for me to have another. Sometimes, including the last time, I've been told I could have at least 2 or 3 more. I do agree with PPs who've stated it's an individual thing, and to ask the ob. :)

[justasque]

How many c-sections would you consider *safe* before you felt like you didn't want to take any more chances?... I'm also considering a vbac2 but am concerned about the risks there as well.

 

I don't think there's a "safe number" - as PPs have said it depends on your particular body, your particular circumstances, your particular care provider. I found it helpful to read the various medical studies that were relevant - it helped me to understand the risks, and also the limitations of the various studies out there so that I could put them into the context of my personal situation.

 

I've had 2 vbacs, and found them to be much easier on my body than my c-section. Again, I read the medical literature to understand the risks and the factors in my previous section that would or would not come into play (e.g. horizontal vs. vertical incision, etc.). I would encourage you to at least explore the vba2c benefits and risks - if you would like to have several more children, it could be helpful if you could vba2c at least some of them if circumstances allowed.

[Stayseeliz]

I've had four. The last one was my easiest and quickest.

[Homemaker]

I had three, my doctor said he is comfortable with 4. Unfortunately we are done though.

[lea_lpz]

I agree it's an individual and case by case basis. As in, given how my pregnancies and recovery went it would seem likely I could have more children with repeat c-sections and have a healthy delivery, but of course their are unexpected circumstances and risks with all pregnancies. I could also do a VBAC, if I just somehow manage to stop making 10 pound babies :)

[magnificent_baby]

I agree with the others. I've asked my doctor the same question; he wasn't concerned with the number, but rather how thin/thick the uterus looks during the last one you've had.

[StartingOver]

I had 3, after each one my OB for all of them said I could have another. I stopped at 39. LOL. I do know my step daughter had 4. Four is the number I hear most for the most, but it really depends on the condition of your uterus. I would suck with one OB is I was going to try more than 4.

[musicianmom]

After my 3rd, the doctor said everything looked good and I could do it "several more times."

[Delighted3]

I had 6. I even had a vertical incision because the 1st was an emercency. With the 4th and 5th, I had a great OB who told us he would tell us if he ever thought it would be too risky to keep having more children. We moved to another state before getting pregnant with our 6th, so I had to find a new OB. She was great too, but I could tell she wasn't as comfortable with the 6th c-section. She did advise me during my pregnancy when I had gestational diabetes that she would not advise another pregnancy. We had already decided not to have anymore children, so I was fine with it, but if I had wanted another one, I probably would have considered finding another dr.

Joy

[ErinE]

I'll chime in. I've had two c-sections with different doctors and have another scheduled in a few weeks with another doctor. Each one said it's dependent on the condition of the uterus after the last birth. The amount of scarring and thinness of the wall determine the advice for another. I've found all the doctors I've used wanted more monitoring but haven't shown greater concern during the pregnancy's progression.

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

I've had 2 and this pregnancy will probably be a c-section, too. I don't remember a doctor ever saying I shouldn't have more, but I am done after this one.

[melmichigan]

I've had 3. I see a high risk OB, he has said the risks go up significantly with a 4th. He quoted statistics but I don't remember them. I would discuss it with your own OB because circumstances vary.

[ktgrok]

the risk that concerns me is the risk of placental problems in subsequent pregnancies. Those are scary and rise with each c-section. So having a c-section this time raises the risk of plancental problems in your next pregnancy. Also, ACOG finds that VBA2C is safe and a reasonable option.

[MamaT]

I've had four - tried a Vbac, but ended up with another C-section. I knew with my fourth I was done having babies. I had 3 miscarriages previously and we had already adopted our first daughter. I knew I wanted to adopt another girl and call it good. :)

[MedicMom]

It really, really depends. Every uterus is different. I know people who have had 6, 7, 8 c sections with no complications. I had a partial uterine rupture with my second. There is honestly just no way of knowing, unless your OB has told you that you have a window or thinning. We had zero idea how thin my uterus was after only one pregnancy.

[mommyx4]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences with me so far. It has helped to calm my fears.

[1bassoon]

It really, really depends. Every uterus is different. I know people who have had 6, 7, 8 c sections with no complications. I had a partial uterine rupture with my second. There is honestly just no way of knowing, unless your OB has told you that you have a window or thinning. We had zero idea how thin my uterus was after only one pregnancy.

 

 

Can I hijack? What is a "window"? My friend - the one who had 8 sections - was told there was a "window", but the OB wasn't worried about it. Explain?

[MedicMom]

A window is a section of very thin uterus. Paper thin, like the baby's hair can poke through it. If it is small the OB may not be too worried. Larger ones are usually reasons to not have any more children.

[TXMomof4]

I've had 4 and when dh and I started discussing another I called the ob who had delivered all of my kids to see if there were any problems with the idea of another. He said there should be no issues, my uterus looked great when I delivered ds. He's delivered thousands of babies and I trust him completely in his assessment.