Comments on: Another VBAC consult misinforms

By: Jen Kamel

Jen Kamel — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:26:49 +0000

Momtobeagain,

The fact that you have a low transverse CS is good news!

Can you get a doula? That might help.

I wish you luck! Please keep me posted on how it went!

Warmly,

Jen

By: momtobeagain

momtobeagain — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:57:34 +0000

Hi Jen,

Thank you for your reply. I was able to get my old record from my prev OB. It says I had a low transverse cut cs with her signature on it. I am hesitant to look for another OB as I am very near my due (feb 11, 2012) and I will be full term this jan 21(37 weeks) already. I ams ure that I do not want another CS this time and I was kind of depressed upon realizing that she may eventually decide to CS me., coz from her tone, I think she just agreed to “try” labor but then discourage me on my most vulnerable time, in pain and distress. She said even if I am low transveresed CS, I had a big baby 7.1lbs before and it’s big for my built. She IEd me and said my pelvics are small (which was actually the indication in my prev CS – CPD). It is like she’s trying to find every excuse for me not to try VBAC. I have read a lot of articles here and suggests that having a big baby is not a factor for CS unless I had a 9lbs baby previously etc. So I guess I will just try to go to the hospital when I am in real labor, that way She can not meddle anymore. I hope I will achieve my goal and my baby will cooperate as well as my body.

Thanks for the great articles…very informative and encouraging.

By: Jen Kamel

Jen Kamel — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:07:02 +0000

Momtobeagain,

You will almost certainly have another cesarean with this OB. The question is, are you ok with that? If you aren’t, it’s time to find another care provider. You can find more information here: .

Your doctor has already given you some questionable and false information.

The average rate of VBAC success is around 70-75%. Where is your OB getting this 30-40% number?

Additionally, while the risk of rupture is certainly higher with a classical incision vs. a low transverse (“bikini cut”) incision, it is nowhere near 99.9%. That is just a flat out lie. According to this chart, the risk of rupture in a classical incision is 1.2% or 1 in 83 births. Now the Landon 2004 study found that the risk of rupture in a spontaneous labor after one bikini cut cesarean was 0.4% which means that the risk of rupture with a classical incision is much greater. But that is assuming that you have a classical incision. Can you contact your old OB to get your medical records to confirm? Here is information on how do to that: http://vbacfacts.com/2008/06/09/the-cost-of-getting-your-medical-records/.

Warmly,

Jen

By: momtobeagain

momtobeagain — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:29:56 +0000

Hi, I had a cs delivery last 2004 with out any warning. I had no labor pains or whatsoever but the OB decided to cs me. I was very young then and did not know any better so I just said yes. Now, I am expecting my 2nd child due on feb 2012 and really want a VBAC. my OB told me I only have 30-40% chance of success rate for vbac, and that is if I had a low segment type of CS and not classical cs (I will ask my prev OB what I had). because if I had been classically cs-ed then she said there is no way she will risk me into labor as there will be 99.9% uterine rupture chance. This is very scary but then I have read a lot about here and having trust issues on her. Now I do not know if I will believe her and just go with whatever she says coz she’s the doctor after all or should I still push thru with what I want, a VBAC that is? Is it true that if I had classical CS, there is no way I can have tolac? pls reply. thanks.

By: Quick Facts on VBACs | Olive Tree Midwifery

Quick Facts on VBACs | Olive Tree Midwifery — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 06:18:46 +0000

[...] bans (Kamel, 2010); unsupportive health care providers, friends, and family (Kamel, 2009b & 2010b); or the misrepresentation of VBAC risks (Kamel, 2009b & [...]

By: Megan

Megan — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:30:01 +0000

I had an emergency C section with my first. Then I had an amazing VBAC with no complications what so ever with my second, and infact my doctor told me I should really try VBAC and im so glad. Now im pregnant with my third, and my doctor told me I have a 4-7% chance of rupture. And C-section should be first on my mind. I really want to do VBAC, it was great the first time. Im glad I read this, cause my doctor (who is really pushy and rude at times) had me in tears thinking I was gonna make the wrong choice.

By: stephanie

stephanie — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:55:54 +0000

Thank you for this post. Sadly, these same care providers are the ones making up the reasons for the unnecessary inductions and interventions that lead to the primary sections to begin with. And in our later years, the same ones who recommend hysterectomy for common problems when there are less invasive and just as effective treatments. Again, all without completely honest and open discussion regarding the risks and benefits of ALL the alternatives.

By: Naomi

Naomi — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:49:30 +0000

You know, I cannot help but wonder: How do the OBs that outright lie to women on a routine basis live with themselves?

I think it should be 100% illegal to deliberately misinform your patients. That sounds like malpractice to me.

What recourse do women have when they find that an OB is lying to them? It seems to me that there should be some sort of corrective mechanism for doctors lying to their patients to deliberately skew the process of “informed consent”.

By: Carrie Ballek

Carrie Ballek — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:22:32 +0000

Hi Jen K.,

Please give Brooke my contact information for ICAN of Lehigh Valley. Although there is not currently an ICAN chapter in northestern PA (I’m working on it!), I have many VBAC moms contacting me (we’re about 1-2 hours south of her in Allentown). What is happening in her area is appalling (I have heard similar stories unfortunately) but I know of a few women who have had really wonderful HBACs and HBA2Cs in that area too.

Carrie Ballek
Chapter Leader, ICAN of Lehigh Valley
icanoflehighvalley@yahoo.com

By: Knitted in the Womb

Knitted in the Womb — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:36:42 +0000

Someone I know was recently talking with the chief OB at a rather large OB/GYN practice in my area…and that OB did not know about the NIH VBAC conference AT ALL!

I just find this completely shocking. I’m a doula, not making nearly the level of decisions that this OB makes…and I was AT the NIH conference because I wanted my voice to be heard, and I wanted to make sure I was aware of the latest research. In my professional life (pick one…childbirth, or my previous profession in Environmental, Health & Employee Safety), though I certainly can not attend every conference that is out there, I certainly knew about the “big” conferences like this and followed them.

By: Birth in Eastern PA

Birth in Eastern PA — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:30:50 +0000

I am going to start a blog where women in eastern PA can share their experiences–good or bad–with peri-natal care providers (OB’s, midwives, doulas, lactation consultants, massage therapists…). I want women to be able to share NAMES of the providers. This blog is going to be a review site of sorts. PLEASE pass my e-mail address (birthineasternpa at yahoo dot com) along to Brooke and ask her to e-mail her story to me if she would like it to be included. I will need to keep a record of the names of the women submitting stories, though they do not have to have their names listed if they do not want to.

By: Nicole - Your Birth Right

Nicole - Your Birth Right — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:20:29 +0000

“I always wonder in situations like these: Is the OB really actively trying to mislead the patient or is he really so misinformed?”

I think BOTH and unfortunately I have found a lot of the latter. Many OBs it seems graduate from school, complete their residency and never pick up another journal Green or otherwise. I have personally had numerous conversations with various providers about things such as inductions, hemorrhage, VBAC, skin to skin, breastfeeding, cesareans etc and find they are NOT up to date. They are not reading the research and if they are…. they don’t seem to “get it.” What’s just as bad…. they do not even use the recommendations put forth by their own ACOG! Its INSANE!! I have actually said to a provider…. Have you read your Green Journal lately LOL…. He didn’t think it was funny!

THANKS a million times for this article. This is a GREAT piece and so true unfortunately so true…..

Nicole

By: K.Rivers

K.Rivers — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:18:41 +0000

Yes, unfortunately the environment that many physicians practice in does NOT encourage them to follow the tenets of Full Informed Consent. In Fact, many hospital policies, and apparently the malpractice insurance “rules” and pressures dictate what a physician can and can’t say. In our area, a physician that was actually telling the truth, and providing women with proper & full informed consent was told that unless he stopped “allowing” women access to VBAC that he would be put on medical review. It goes above the physicians. Medical schools, National organization, the State medical boards, and hospital administrators must DEMAND and implement policies that provide full informed consent and right to refusal of treatment for all woman, whether the woman wants a VBAC, a repeat cesarean, does not want an IV, refuses continuous EFM, etc.
Full Informed Consent is every Womans right!

By: Kristen

Kristen — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:30:26 +0000

This sounds almost *exactly* like the conversation I had with my original OB at my 36 week appointment. And even though I had the opportunity to switch care providers (and go on to have a successful VBAC four weeks later), I often wonder about all of those women who either didn’t know that they were being purposefully lied to or who just didn’t want to *fight* at the end of their pregnancy simply to give birth vaginally.

Thanks for writing this post. Hopefully it helps lots of women out there turn away from the scare tactics and misinformation BEFORE they enter the third (or second…or first!) trimester!

By: Sharon

Sharon — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:01:06 +0000

Thank you for this BLOG! I will begin sharing this immediately on my FB page and with my Mothers that I work with. It is so frustrating. If OB’s are lying or misleading us with this….what else are we being mislead about.

Sharon