C-sections

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deskjockey

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What is the Catholic Church’s stance on planned c-sections? My wife and I have three children and they have all been delivered this way.
 
Hmm? Good question. Of the top of my head I would say its okay if there is danger to the mother and child. Ill check my CCC.
 
Sam_777 said:
What is C-Section?
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It’s a contraction standing for caesarean section. It is an operation to remove a baby from the uterus (womb) by laparotomy (opening of the abdominal wall). It is often used as an emergency procedure but some women agree with their obstetrician (doctor specialising in pregnancy care) to have a planned c-section. It is called a caesarean because Julius Caesar was allegedly born by this method.
 
There is no Catholic teaching on the morality of a c-section.
This is something that should be discussed with your doctor as to whether or not it is a necessary surgery.
 
The only place you might run into “trouble” is in the case of many repeated C-sections. Many women are able to give birth vaginally after one or two C-sections, but many OBs are hesitant to even let this happen even though the risk of uterine rupture is relatively low and instead will push for the repeated section. But after three, I’m going to guess that any subsequent children you and your wife have would have to be born that way, as well. And with each one, the likelihood of something going wrong goes up. I know a few women who have had four or five children, all delivered via C-section, and their OBs tell them “no more kids.” So for the remainder of a woman’s fertile years, you’re looking at a lot of abstaining and/or increasingly risky pregnancies and deliveries.

So while there may not be a moral issue with C-sections per se, I certainly wouldn’t advise anyone who intends on following Church teaching to plan a C-section if it’s not medically indicated - because it’s going to impact how a woman lives out the rest of her fertile years.

(And the pressure to sterilize can be overwhelming in these situations - even stories of doctors going ahead and doing tubal ligations “since she’s already open.” Yuck.)
 
There isn’t really one. I wouldn’t plan it that way for no good reason. After 3, that’s certainly a pretty good reason. I have heard of vbac after 3, and more, prior c-sections. I think the most I have heard of was vbac after 7.
 
The regularity in which c sections are performed these days,from what I understand,are dictated by the insurance companies.If a woman labors beyond a certain number of hours she is automatically a candidate for this procedure.this is for legal purposes.:eek:
 
I would doubt very much that the Church has ever offered any official teaching on this issue. There are many in the medical community who believe that Caesarean sections are done much too commonly today.
 
Personally I think C-Sections are a financial scam by our insurance companies. America leads the world in the number of C-Sections preformed per year. Now if the mother or baby is sick or if the mother is older than I’m all for it.

Doctors can schedule the birth of your child down to the exact second. That is not natural. What bothers me is that when you arrive at the hospital in labor wanting a natural birth they immediately start I.V.s fluids “in case” of an emergency. They do not allow the birthing mother to eat or drink for during labor which goes on for hours. How is a mother supposed to push out a baby with no nutrients??? Then the mother is just too wiped out to push they do a c-section. I think it is a way of stealing legally.

Women are made to birth children NATURALLY as Mary birthed Jesus. It should not be a "surgical procedure’. Our bodies are designed for it. A mother can have the baby at home home or a birthing center with a Midwife for under $1000. A C-Section costs on average $18,000 and the co-pay and/or out of pocket charges are about $3000. And we wonder why out insurance premiums are so high?

Just my humble opinion.
 
white_sheep said:
There isn’t really one. I wouldn’t plan it that way for no good reason. After 3, that’s certainly a pretty good reason. I have heard of vbac after 3, and more, prior c-sections. I think the most I have heard of was vbac after 7.
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Whoa, that is awesome. I’ve never heard of anything beyond VBA2C, and those ones were hard for the moms to get (in terms of convincing medical personnel, etc.) The births themselves were as “boring” as a birth can be. 🙂
 
KimberlyCat said:
Women are made to birth children NATURALLY as Mary birthed Jesus. It should not be a "surgical procedure’. Our bodies are designed for it.
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To the OP, please be at peace with the planned C-sections for delivering your babies. You may want to speak with your priest if you are concern.

The Church allows C-sections -planned or unplanned.

While most woman can birth children, many mothers need a “surgical procedure” to deliver their child.
 
KimberlyCat said:
Personally I think C-Sections are a financial scam by our insurance companies. America leads the world in the number of C-Sections preformed per year. Now if the mother or baby is sick or if the mother is older than I’m all for it.

Doctors can schedule the birth of your child down to the exact second. That is not natural. What bothers me is that when you arrive at the hospital in labor wanting a natural birth they immediately start I.V.s fluids “in case” of an emergency. They do not allow the birthing mother to eat or drink for during labor which goes on for hours. How is a mother supposed to push out a baby with no nutrients??? Then the mother is just too wiped out to push they do a c-section. I think it is a way of stealing legally.

Women are made to birth children NATURALLY as Mary birthed Jesus. It should not be a "surgical procedure’. Our bodies are designed for it. A mother can have the baby at home home or a birthing center with a Midwife for under $1000. A C-Section costs on average $18,000 and the co-pay and/or out of pocket charges are about $3000. And we wonder why out insurance premiums are so high?

Just my humble opinion.
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My oldest daughter,used a nurse midwife to deliver both her children,drug free,normal delivery.
 
Thank you all for your responses. They have been very helpful.
 
benjohnson said:
Lutherans would be cautioned not to have a c-section if it was for connivence as it begins to limit the ability to have children.
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I have never heard this and I’ve been Lutheran my entire life. If it is necessary, as it was with a few of my relatives, I don’t see the issue.
 
KimberlyCat said:
Personally I think C-Sections are a financial scam by our insurance companies. America leads the world in the number of C-Sections preformed per year. Now if the mother or baby is sick or if the mother is older than I’m all for it.

Doctors can schedule the birth of your child down to the exact second. That is not natural. What bothers me is that when you arrive at the hospital in labor wanting a natural birth they immediately start I.V.s fluids “in case” of an emergency. They do not allow the birthing mother to eat or drink for during labor which goes on for hours. How is a mother supposed to push out a baby with no nutrients??? Then the mother is just too wiped out to push they do a c-section. I think it is a way of stealing legally.

Women are made to birth children NATURALLY as Mary birthed Jesus. It should not be a "surgical procedure’. Our bodies are designed for it. A mother can have the baby at home home or a birthing center with a Midwife for under $1000. A C-Section costs on average $18,000 and the co-pay and/or out of pocket charges are about $3000. And we wonder why out insurance premiums are so high?

Just my humble opinion.
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As a Healthcare provider I disagree. Do you know how many babies and mothers DIED when advanced medical treatment was not available. Not everyone can or SHOULD deliver naturally. There are numerous reasons why one would choose to go the C-section route.
  1. Breech Presentation- risk of the babys head not being able to pass through the bony structures of the pelvis. When the doctor gives you the risks… you choose what is SAFEST for you and your baby.
  2. Depends on the prior C-section. the location and the type of incision will dictate whether or not uterine rupture is a high risk with a Vaginal delivery.
  3. Complications: HELLP syndrome, Cord prolapse, placental abruption, eclampsia, fetal distress, prolonged rupture of membranes, failure to progress, BIG babies, and more I can’t think of right now.
as for the IV fluids etc. We have valid reasons why we do what we do… I have been in many deliveries where the mother or fetus came into a crisis and a crash C-section had to be done. We can get the baby out in 60 seconds if needed but, we NEED an IV established in order to do this… to wait to put an IV in… even for another minute or two can make all the difference in how the baby does. And not having them eat means we can intubate if needed without the risk of the patient aspirating vomit.

Home births can and are generally safe for a LOW risk pregnancy, but no midwife in thier right mind would home deliver a mother who is at risk. The mother also has to be aware that if emergency medical treatment is warranted it may take up precious time to call for an ambulance.

It is only because of advanced medical treatment that the mortalities have reduced significantly.
 
Hockeygurl said:
as for the IV fluids etc. We have valid reasons why we do what we do… I have been in many deliveries where the mother or fetus came into a crisis and a crash C-section had to be done. We can get the baby out in 60 seconds if needed but, we NEED an IV established in order to do this… to wait to put an IV in… even for another minute or two can make all the difference in how the baby does.
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This happened with my daughter, her heart rated dropped 3 times and wasn’t rising after the 3rd drop. I was rushed into the OR and she was born within a minute, even then she has to be resuscitated. If we had waited even another minute she would have died.
 
Hockeygurl said:
As a Healthcare provider I disagree. Do you know how many babies and mothers DIED when advanced medical treatment was not available. Not everyone can or SHOULD deliver naturally. There are numerous reasons why one would choose to go the C-section route.
  1. Breech Presentation- risk of the babys head not being able to pass through the bony structures of the pelvis. When the doctor gives you the risks… you choose what is SAFEST for you and your baby.
  2. Depends on the prior C-section. the location and the type of incision will dictate whether or not uterine rupture is a high risk with a Vaginal delivery.
  3. Complications: HELLP syndrome, Cord prolapse, placental abruption, eclampsia, fetal distress, prolonged rupture of membranes, failure to progress, BIG babies, and more I can’t think of right now.
as for the IV fluids etc. We have valid reasons why we do what we do… I have been in many deliveries where the mother or fetus came into a crisis and a crash C-section had to be done. We can get the baby out in 60 seconds if needed but, we NEED an IV established in order to do this… to wait to put an IV in… even for another minute or two can make all the difference in how the baby does. And not having them eat means we can intubate if needed without the risk of the patient aspirating vomit.

Home births can and are generally safe for a LOW risk pregnancy, but no midwife in thier right mind would home deliver a mother who is at risk. The mother also has to be aware that if emergency medical treatment is warranted it may take up precious time to call for an ambulance.

It is only because of advanced medical treatment that the mortalities have reduced significantly.
Click to expand...
I respect your professional opinion, but consider this. From 1981 through 1997, I gave birth to 7 children, the last one was a twin breech presentation at 37.5 weeks and that one WAS a C-Section. We now have 5 grandchildren, and ALL have been C-Sections. I find it hard to believe that this generation is no longer capable of giving birth without major surgery.
 
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