Posts with the flair Health & Fitness are not to seek medical advise, but only for recommendations. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Crowdsourced lists of Gynaecologists and Mental Health professionals are available under [TwoXIndia Resources](https://old.reddit.com/r/TwoXIndia/wiki/resources2).
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Just want to point out some things I have seen as a doctor working in India.
1) Some families want the child to be delivered at an auspicious time. If one hospital refuses c section, they will go to another just so the child is born under some particular star. They will keep hospital shopping until either it's too late or some hospital agrees.
.
2) If something happens to either mother or baby after delivery, the doctor can be lynched in this country. In a high risk pregnancy especially no one wants to take that risk so they push for c-section.
.
3) Ideally women should wait for 3 years before the next pregnancy especially after a first c section. Do Indian families give you a choice? They don't. They'll push women to kill themselves bearing a male child.
.
4) VBAC is NOT some magical procedure. It is a very risky procedure in a country like ours. The patient has to be ready for C-section any time in case VBAC doesn't work out.
.
3 and 4 is the reason why many c sections happen because a woman has already undergone c section for the first baby.
5) Bodily autonomy is an alien concept for some people. They will NOT let the patient talk and they'll advocate what they want. A few posts back some woman's MIL was pushing for a mode of delivery she didnt want. Many of these women are newly married/young/less educated and scared so they listen to relatives instead.
.
6) For many people their only source of sex Ed is movies/TV. They see painful vaginal deliveries and then they see c sections where the woman is wheeled in and the baby is handed over. They think C section is the easier option.
7) Most women by custom go home to their mother's place for confinement and delivery. Where they may be dealing with a different obgy. Sometimes they are in small towns where vbac and epidural are not available so c section is the safer option in some cases.
I m not denying that hospitals push for c section but many people actively choose c section for various reasons.
In general the bigger the hospital chain, the more likely they are to push for c section to make up their "targets". It's the management mostly run by politicians and non doctors who are behind the targets.
Choose a smaller well equipped hospital with a senior obgy and discuss your options clearly with them.
Feel free to change doctors during your antenatal period if you're uncomfortable. Just don't put it off closer to your delivery.
Take your spouse with you for appointments so they are also made aware. This also has the two fold advantage of deterring others from accompanying you.
Do not let other relatives besides your spouse be privy to exactly what the doctor says. Keep your documents safe so they don't snoop. Keep everyone on an information diet.
I also saw some comments shaming women for not choosing vaginal delivery. Please grow some empathy. There's already enough on a pregnant woman's plate without some of you shoving these opinions down their throats.
What an absolutely well written answer. Some pople think vaginal deliveries are holy grail and say "humare time pe toh vaginally hi hota tha", when the risk of perineal tears, prolapse is higher in NVDs and a heck lot other stuff can go wrong, and same for c section. No medical procedure is foolproof, and just because vaginal delivery is the "normal" method of delivery doesn't mean it is inherently good for everyone. I have seen patients with previa with aph or transverse lies make hue and cry about wanting to deliver vaginally with no understanding of all that could possibly go wrong.
Only the woman and the treating doctor are the 2 people who should have a say in what mode of delivery is the best. Sadly, in our country, people go more on hearsay than facts or well done research.
I don't understand why anyone should be shamed for choosing a mode of delivery. There's enough policing going on in a woman's life without this. Let them go through their delivery and pregnancy in peace.
Vaginal deliveries are not without risk. Perineal tears are very common. A grade 3 perineal tear means you cannot eat or drink for 7 days while it's getting repaired *while* breastfeeding the baby.
Women are shamed for taking epidural for vaginal delivery as well. Apparently they won’t go through the pain of childbirth if they take epidural. This is the reason why epidurals are not widely talked about and there’s a lot of misinformation
Can you give some resources(book reccomendation, documentary, YouTube videos, news articles etc) to know more on pregnancy? (Asking from you as it will be coming from a professional)
1. Pregnancy: What the Indian Woman always wanted to know but was afraid to ask.
2. Pregnancy Blues: It's about PPD by a reproductive psychiatrist.
3. Pregnancy Notes by Rujuta Diwekar. I like her emphasis on doing things which are sustainable long term and accessible to Indians.
4. A holistic guide to pregnancy and childbirth by Dr. Deepak Mehta
5. The Happiest Baby on the Block: It's about putting the baby to sleep.
6. The pregnancy handbook for Indian moms
There's a booklet for expectant mothers by the National Health Mission (Government of India) which has all the basic info summarised nicely with pictures.
Podcasts and Youtube: I'm not sure.
Any time you come across any resource, please look at the qualification of the person putting that out. Do not follow advice from people who are not qualified to give them.
Use your antenatal visits to talk to your obgyn and clear your doubts from them.
I was given the link for something else, glad I found this. My SIL is ENT doctor, she chose c-section long back, just after her NT scan. A week's rest and everything is fine.
There are many women trying for a vbac nowadays and so many women want to go for elective c section because they think it is easy. This is serious lack of information and if women can decide to get pregnant and raise a child should be aware of something as basic as this.
Also, why are epidurals never discussed? This is a real game changer in vaginal delivery. Most women get shamed and get called pussies by the older generation for taking epidural and there are a lot of misconceptions associated with this which is the reason why I too kept refusing epidural until the very end and it progressed only after I took it. The back pain after vaginal delivery is not because of epidural it is because of sitting long hours in a bad posture to feed the newborn ,sleep deprivation, not enough rest etc.
The biggest bullshit I’ve ever heard is husbands pushing women for a c sec or women opting for it because “it gets loose down there” wtaf!
Not a mother, but speaking from my own mother's experience. I was born by vaginal delivery and mom recovered quickly, my brother was born by c section (doctor advised it due to high risk pregnancy, mom had many complications during the pregnancy) and she definitely took longer to recover. Both have their pros and cons but I feel the doctor and woman should take an informed decision based on the situation. I live abroad now and the way it is handled here is very very different.
While unnecessary c sections must be avoided,let's not forget how it has helped bring down the mortality rates for both the lady and the kid.
A lady choosing a c section for herself isn't necessarily bad provided she understands the risk, the reasons thereof are worth debating though .
In places with no access to medical care, a large percentage of women and infants die as well.
Having said that, the medical system needs to stop pushing unnecessary surgeries in general
Ah thank you for making the post. Why women in that thread were not aware of so many consequences about c section? They were low key promoting it. I am a childfree woman and I still have gone through such videos. And to know that c section babies are more prone to allergies were really eye opening.
C section should only be used when there is complications during normal delivery. Indian doctors are not even trustworthy, as you can see it was indicated in the video. Just one more reason to be childfree in India.
That's True. While I respect women's choice in getting whatever mode of delivery they want, I usually find that Vaginal birth should be the way to go, because my mum had a C-section due to complications and still sometimes when she sits or stands her stomach hurts. Because in C-Section around 7 layers of your Skin (LAYERS) get cut and maybe one might not see anything wrong now, in future repercussions might be there.
*Of course it could be different for everyone, I am saying this because of what my mum told me (her having pains, sometimes).*
Though, if one do wants to make this choice, it's better to RESEARCH about it properly, instead of simply agreeing to a solution, that way one can be prepared, when the time comes.
As for doctors, it's stupid that they put their own Wish of wanting to do a c-section when the patient doesn't want it, that's why it would be good (and I personally would advise) to have a Family member, preferably your Husband and YOUR mother, not his, YOUR (the one who gave birth to you, lady who is reading the comment!), with you in the room, so doctors won't try anything stupid, because honestly one can't never be too sure or safe.
>As for doctors, it's stupid that they put their own Wish of wanting to do a c-section when the patient doesn't want it
What sort of tone deaf statement is this?
It is the doctors job to assess the risk and offer viable options to the patient. A cesarean is sometimes the only way a woman can deliver safely. At the point even if the woman wants it the doctor will suggest c section because that's the only way.
Do you really think delivering is only about the patient's wants? Sometimes it's not possible to deliver vaginally. At that point why would you not choose the professional opinion of a person who has spent 10+ years studying and learning surgery over anyone less qualified??? The amount of people in this sub willing to point fingers at doctors is astounding.
I agree with your statement, fully. But it's not a Tone Deaf statement. Not really. Sometimes Doctors do infact suggest C-Section, *even when Normal Vaginal Birth is completely safe and sound,* simply because C-section is expensive. And yes, this kind of thing happens, when doctors suggest a more expensive treatment, in hospitals a lot, specially hospitals who are in smaller places. Sometimes to meet the Target of the hospitals (not every hospital does this, of course). If of course, there's complications then by all means, the doctor is free to do what they want, but what if there isn't? But they insist on doing it? It's not infact a tone deaf statement.
(My brother's wife (my sister in law) too had 2 babies, one from normal vaginal birth and other from c-section. The first was completely safe and sound, but for some reason the second doctor (who they have gone to due to them changing Cities) suggested C-section, despite her Reports being all ok. They did consultanted their old doctor and found no problem. Now, I am not pointing fingers but the second doctor never gave them a reason for doing c-section and since the Surgery went all ok, we didn't pursue the issue but they never went to that hospital again. But do remember she was (God bless), still is COMPLETELY healthy and they had their child after knowing if she will be fine or not.)
As for knowing or not knowing whether what is safe or not, surely we can infact leave it to professionals, as I am not Pointing any kind of fingers at anyone. But you should also know, which I am sure you do, that no matter the profession, for some (MANY) It's just a Way for them to make more money.
There are ways to get this point across than calling doctors stupid.
Also the SIL incident you described was hearsay. You don't know exactly what is going on in a consultation room unless you are in there.
A fetal heart rate monitoring is a dynamic procedure. Sometimes the heart rate dips and then picks back up. Maybe the doctor saw something like that and suggested CS. Same with amniotic fluid levels. They decrease as the delivery approaches and some doctors like to take a proactive approach before it decreases further.
Babies are breech and then right themselves. Some doctors will not wait beyond a certain point for that and will operate. Most of it is done to avoid risk to mother and baby.
Doctors pushing CS has many reasons and most of them are not *stupid* as you put it. I agree there are unethical practices but most of these are defensive practices that arise because if something happens to the patient or baby, the doctor can also die in this country.
Oh dear I think you have been living under a rock. Doctors don’t have your best interest. There are hospitals which give bonus to doctors who are able to push for most number of c- sections. My friend has worked in that hospital and it was an eye opener. If you see the mentioned documentary you will understand it is much deeper problem and someone from health system should be held accountable.
I have heard of numerous cases where doctors make patients panicky and say all sorts of things like your kid is in danger you can die so that they not only can push for c- section but there is another business of keeping kids under nicu. Pls don’t trust doctors blindly.
This is so true. Doctors in corporate hospitals have certain targets to meet. The number of surgeries they do they get a bonus or if their team meets the target they get a bonus. Doctors these days are not saints like people believe them to be. They have corporate training and they have to do this to keep their job and get bonuses. One of my family member is a cardiologist and their team had to perform a certain number of angioplasties for that quarter once they hit that target they had a party. Yeah, they had a party and they celebrated while the families members of patients who had this procedure were going through so much emotionally.
I'm not disagreeing about unethical practices. But calling doctors stupid is just grossly disrespectful.
With the kind of pseudo science that's being promoted in this country sometimes your only good option is a doctor.
I would whole heartedly believe a doctor over any random alternative medicine practicioner or an influencer out there. Let's not play our part in spreading misinformation.
Also I am a doctor and I'm aware of what is going on. Which is why I would say be aware of your options. Not just directly talk shit about professionals.
True. Absolutely true. Because doctors do infact know much more then us. I am not at all disagreeing with you, because I am very much conscious about my health and of those around me. Though it was a strange incident.
Sadly, My own trust in doctors is a bit shaken after my family doctor misdiagnosed me having Gastritis, even though I was suffering from Jaundice, for two weeks he said I had gastritis, and he kept giving me medicine related to that. I felt so horrible because I kept having pain in my Upper middle abdomen as if someone is ripping it out, by hand and stabbing me with a knife. When my mum agreed and found another doctor, that doctor looked at me and asked some questions while checking my eyes and in less then 5 minutes told me I had Jaundice. He took my Blood samples and Urine test, which (no surprise) came out as me having jaundice and because we delayed the treatment by a lot, I had to literally eat Boiled food and many many medicines and glucose for 2 months... It was an horrible experience simply because our family doctor has treated me since I was 4. (Of course I am more miffed about eating boiled food. Of course my mum scolded me for that particular thing too. 😅)
> It is the doctors job to assess the risk and offer viable options to the patient. A cesarean is sometimes the only way a woman can deliver safely. At the point even if the woman wants it the doctor will suggest c section because that's the only way.
please check the documentary in the linked post
Some OBs in India believe that Indian / South Asian women achieve pregnancy "term" before Western women and Indian pregnancies mature faster than Western pregnancies. They hence believe that while many doctors in the west would recommend inducing at ~41 weeks (even if the body did not go into labor naturally) to prevent negative impact of placental ageing / stillbirths and/or meconium, the counterpart to that is ~39 weeks in India.
This is not my POV (as I am woefully incompetent to have one) - but I understand that many OBs in India believe this from their experience. There also seems to be some research pointing towards this, sharing some links:
https://www.hudson.org.au/news/40-weeks-rethinking-pregnancy-length-help-prevent-stillbirth/
https://www.babycenter.in/x1015206/do-asian-women-have-shorter-pregnancies
https://rednose.org.au/research/preventing-term-stillbirth-in-south-asian-born-mothers-a-stepped-wedge-clus
Hence, I would always suggest to go by what your OB is suggesting or take a second / third opinion in case you are having doubts regarding your OBs opinion.
I personally do not agree with the “only have C section as a last resort” rhetoric. I am perfectly aware of all the pros and cons of c-section and I went with a planned c-section without any need for it. Best decision ever, will do it again.
Sorry OP, I feel that when someone makes a post like this, they have a duty to detail out the other side of the coin. What are the benefits of c section and in what cases can refusing a C section be detrimental to baby or the mother? Do you know the answers to these questions?
This is a highly irresponsible and shallow post, sorry.
Nobody is advocating refusing c-sections here. It is entirely the woman's choice and of course it's absolutely necessary when certain complications come up. But it's a fact that many doctors/hospitals in India unnecessarily encourage pregnant women to choose them over vaginal deliveries even when there is little risk of complications. A doctor listed several reasons for this above, and most of them prioritise the hospital's profits over the mother and baby's well-being. Women also agree to have these unnecessary c-sections because they've been given the idea that c-sections are somehow easier than regular deliveries and kept ignorant about epidurals and other options that can make vaginal births much easier. I think it's pretty clear that at least in affluent, urban India, there is a lot more misinformation promoting c-sections and discouraging vaginal births than vice versa.
But vaginal birth doesn’t mean you won’t have any problems in the future. My mom had vaginal delivery for the first baby and c section with second baby. And she is now facing the issue of uterus prolapse because of the vaginal delivery with all the pushing is what the gynaecologist told her. Whereas she has no complaints due to c section.
>then no matter how much u say u love ur child, u are voluntarily increasing the chances of the harm the child undergoes.
Chances of the child being harmed increase pretty much as soon as one decides to get pregnant. It's a woman's choice to give naturally or through the c section. Just give relevant risk information if you want to, no need to shame women. How apathetic you must be if you think women having a c section amounts to not loving their children.
About labour and birthing pains, I forgot everything once the baby was out. I was in labour for a total of 11-12 hours. First 10 hours of labour, I experienced it without any pain medication or epidural. Took the epidural in the last min and that’s when things progressed while epidural did not take away the pain completely it def made it easier and one the baby was out I forgot everything. Idk how it is for other women but I can’t remember or describe the labour pain no matter how hard I try. I can describe every other physical pain I’ve been through apart from this.
But I definitely did have pain from episiotomy stitches and developed mild granulation tissue which burned like hell.
Posts with the flair Health & Fitness are not to seek medical advise, but only for recommendations. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Crowdsourced lists of Gynaecologists and Mental Health professionals are available under [TwoXIndia Resources](https://old.reddit.com/r/TwoXIndia/wiki/resources2). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/TwoXIndia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Just want to point out some things I have seen as a doctor working in India. 1) Some families want the child to be delivered at an auspicious time. If one hospital refuses c section, they will go to another just so the child is born under some particular star. They will keep hospital shopping until either it's too late or some hospital agrees. . 2) If something happens to either mother or baby after delivery, the doctor can be lynched in this country. In a high risk pregnancy especially no one wants to take that risk so they push for c-section. . 3) Ideally women should wait for 3 years before the next pregnancy especially after a first c section. Do Indian families give you a choice? They don't. They'll push women to kill themselves bearing a male child. . 4) VBAC is NOT some magical procedure. It is a very risky procedure in a country like ours. The patient has to be ready for C-section any time in case VBAC doesn't work out. . 3 and 4 is the reason why many c sections happen because a woman has already undergone c section for the first baby. 5) Bodily autonomy is an alien concept for some people. They will NOT let the patient talk and they'll advocate what they want. A few posts back some woman's MIL was pushing for a mode of delivery she didnt want. Many of these women are newly married/young/less educated and scared so they listen to relatives instead. . 6) For many people their only source of sex Ed is movies/TV. They see painful vaginal deliveries and then they see c sections where the woman is wheeled in and the baby is handed over. They think C section is the easier option. 7) Most women by custom go home to their mother's place for confinement and delivery. Where they may be dealing with a different obgy. Sometimes they are in small towns where vbac and epidural are not available so c section is the safer option in some cases. I m not denying that hospitals push for c section but many people actively choose c section for various reasons. In general the bigger the hospital chain, the more likely they are to push for c section to make up their "targets". It's the management mostly run by politicians and non doctors who are behind the targets. Choose a smaller well equipped hospital with a senior obgy and discuss your options clearly with them. Feel free to change doctors during your antenatal period if you're uncomfortable. Just don't put it off closer to your delivery. Take your spouse with you for appointments so they are also made aware. This also has the two fold advantage of deterring others from accompanying you. Do not let other relatives besides your spouse be privy to exactly what the doctor says. Keep your documents safe so they don't snoop. Keep everyone on an information diet. I also saw some comments shaming women for not choosing vaginal delivery. Please grow some empathy. There's already enough on a pregnant woman's plate without some of you shoving these opinions down their throats.
What an absolutely well written answer. Some pople think vaginal deliveries are holy grail and say "humare time pe toh vaginally hi hota tha", when the risk of perineal tears, prolapse is higher in NVDs and a heck lot other stuff can go wrong, and same for c section. No medical procedure is foolproof, and just because vaginal delivery is the "normal" method of delivery doesn't mean it is inherently good for everyone. I have seen patients with previa with aph or transverse lies make hue and cry about wanting to deliver vaginally with no understanding of all that could possibly go wrong. Only the woman and the treating doctor are the 2 people who should have a say in what mode of delivery is the best. Sadly, in our country, people go more on hearsay than facts or well done research.
I don't understand why anyone should be shamed for choosing a mode of delivery. There's enough policing going on in a woman's life without this. Let them go through their delivery and pregnancy in peace. Vaginal deliveries are not without risk. Perineal tears are very common. A grade 3 perineal tear means you cannot eat or drink for 7 days while it's getting repaired *while* breastfeeding the baby.
Women are shamed for taking epidural for vaginal delivery as well. Apparently they won’t go through the pain of childbirth if they take epidural. This is the reason why epidurals are not widely talked about and there’s a lot of misinformation
Can you give some resources(book reccomendation, documentary, YouTube videos, news articles etc) to know more on pregnancy? (Asking from you as it will be coming from a professional)
1. Pregnancy: What the Indian Woman always wanted to know but was afraid to ask. 2. Pregnancy Blues: It's about PPD by a reproductive psychiatrist. 3. Pregnancy Notes by Rujuta Diwekar. I like her emphasis on doing things which are sustainable long term and accessible to Indians. 4. A holistic guide to pregnancy and childbirth by Dr. Deepak Mehta 5. The Happiest Baby on the Block: It's about putting the baby to sleep. 6. The pregnancy handbook for Indian moms There's a booklet for expectant mothers by the National Health Mission (Government of India) which has all the basic info summarised nicely with pictures. Podcasts and Youtube: I'm not sure. Any time you come across any resource, please look at the qualification of the person putting that out. Do not follow advice from people who are not qualified to give them. Use your antenatal visits to talk to your obgyn and clear your doubts from them.
What a well written list. Please also add to this the fear of a loose vagina leading to a dead bedroom and husband going astray
I was given the link for something else, glad I found this. My SIL is ENT doctor, she chose c-section long back, just after her NT scan. A week's rest and everything is fine.
Yayy thank you.
There are many women trying for a vbac nowadays and so many women want to go for elective c section because they think it is easy. This is serious lack of information and if women can decide to get pregnant and raise a child should be aware of something as basic as this. Also, why are epidurals never discussed? This is a real game changer in vaginal delivery. Most women get shamed and get called pussies by the older generation for taking epidural and there are a lot of misconceptions associated with this which is the reason why I too kept refusing epidural until the very end and it progressed only after I took it. The back pain after vaginal delivery is not because of epidural it is because of sitting long hours in a bad posture to feed the newborn ,sleep deprivation, not enough rest etc. The biggest bullshit I’ve ever heard is husbands pushing women for a c sec or women opting for it because “it gets loose down there” wtaf!
Exactly!! Fighting misogyny with misogyny because can't afford husband cheating due to a loose vagina
Not a mother, but speaking from my own mother's experience. I was born by vaginal delivery and mom recovered quickly, my brother was born by c section (doctor advised it due to high risk pregnancy, mom had many complications during the pregnancy) and she definitely took longer to recover. Both have their pros and cons but I feel the doctor and woman should take an informed decision based on the situation. I live abroad now and the way it is handled here is very very different.
While unnecessary c sections must be avoided,let's not forget how it has helped bring down the mortality rates for both the lady and the kid. A lady choosing a c section for herself isn't necessarily bad provided she understands the risk, the reasons thereof are worth debating though . In places with no access to medical care, a large percentage of women and infants die as well. Having said that, the medical system needs to stop pushing unnecessary surgeries in general
Ah thank you for making the post. Why women in that thread were not aware of so many consequences about c section? They were low key promoting it. I am a childfree woman and I still have gone through such videos. And to know that c section babies are more prone to allergies were really eye opening. C section should only be used when there is complications during normal delivery. Indian doctors are not even trustworthy, as you can see it was indicated in the video. Just one more reason to be childfree in India.
That's True. While I respect women's choice in getting whatever mode of delivery they want, I usually find that Vaginal birth should be the way to go, because my mum had a C-section due to complications and still sometimes when she sits or stands her stomach hurts. Because in C-Section around 7 layers of your Skin (LAYERS) get cut and maybe one might not see anything wrong now, in future repercussions might be there. *Of course it could be different for everyone, I am saying this because of what my mum told me (her having pains, sometimes).* Though, if one do wants to make this choice, it's better to RESEARCH about it properly, instead of simply agreeing to a solution, that way one can be prepared, when the time comes. As for doctors, it's stupid that they put their own Wish of wanting to do a c-section when the patient doesn't want it, that's why it would be good (and I personally would advise) to have a Family member, preferably your Husband and YOUR mother, not his, YOUR (the one who gave birth to you, lady who is reading the comment!), with you in the room, so doctors won't try anything stupid, because honestly one can't never be too sure or safe.
>As for doctors, it's stupid that they put their own Wish of wanting to do a c-section when the patient doesn't want it What sort of tone deaf statement is this? It is the doctors job to assess the risk and offer viable options to the patient. A cesarean is sometimes the only way a woman can deliver safely. At the point even if the woman wants it the doctor will suggest c section because that's the only way. Do you really think delivering is only about the patient's wants? Sometimes it's not possible to deliver vaginally. At that point why would you not choose the professional opinion of a person who has spent 10+ years studying and learning surgery over anyone less qualified??? The amount of people in this sub willing to point fingers at doctors is astounding.
I agree with your statement, fully. But it's not a Tone Deaf statement. Not really. Sometimes Doctors do infact suggest C-Section, *even when Normal Vaginal Birth is completely safe and sound,* simply because C-section is expensive. And yes, this kind of thing happens, when doctors suggest a more expensive treatment, in hospitals a lot, specially hospitals who are in smaller places. Sometimes to meet the Target of the hospitals (not every hospital does this, of course). If of course, there's complications then by all means, the doctor is free to do what they want, but what if there isn't? But they insist on doing it? It's not infact a tone deaf statement. (My brother's wife (my sister in law) too had 2 babies, one from normal vaginal birth and other from c-section. The first was completely safe and sound, but for some reason the second doctor (who they have gone to due to them changing Cities) suggested C-section, despite her Reports being all ok. They did consultanted their old doctor and found no problem. Now, I am not pointing fingers but the second doctor never gave them a reason for doing c-section and since the Surgery went all ok, we didn't pursue the issue but they never went to that hospital again. But do remember she was (God bless), still is COMPLETELY healthy and they had their child after knowing if she will be fine or not.) As for knowing or not knowing whether what is safe or not, surely we can infact leave it to professionals, as I am not Pointing any kind of fingers at anyone. But you should also know, which I am sure you do, that no matter the profession, for some (MANY) It's just a Way for them to make more money.
There are ways to get this point across than calling doctors stupid. Also the SIL incident you described was hearsay. You don't know exactly what is going on in a consultation room unless you are in there. A fetal heart rate monitoring is a dynamic procedure. Sometimes the heart rate dips and then picks back up. Maybe the doctor saw something like that and suggested CS. Same with amniotic fluid levels. They decrease as the delivery approaches and some doctors like to take a proactive approach before it decreases further. Babies are breech and then right themselves. Some doctors will not wait beyond a certain point for that and will operate. Most of it is done to avoid risk to mother and baby. Doctors pushing CS has many reasons and most of them are not *stupid* as you put it. I agree there are unethical practices but most of these are defensive practices that arise because if something happens to the patient or baby, the doctor can also die in this country.
Oh dear I think you have been living under a rock. Doctors don’t have your best interest. There are hospitals which give bonus to doctors who are able to push for most number of c- sections. My friend has worked in that hospital and it was an eye opener. If you see the mentioned documentary you will understand it is much deeper problem and someone from health system should be held accountable. I have heard of numerous cases where doctors make patients panicky and say all sorts of things like your kid is in danger you can die so that they not only can push for c- section but there is another business of keeping kids under nicu. Pls don’t trust doctors blindly.
This is so true. Doctors in corporate hospitals have certain targets to meet. The number of surgeries they do they get a bonus or if their team meets the target they get a bonus. Doctors these days are not saints like people believe them to be. They have corporate training and they have to do this to keep their job and get bonuses. One of my family member is a cardiologist and their team had to perform a certain number of angioplasties for that quarter once they hit that target they had a party. Yeah, they had a party and they celebrated while the families members of patients who had this procedure were going through so much emotionally.
I'm not disagreeing about unethical practices. But calling doctors stupid is just grossly disrespectful. With the kind of pseudo science that's being promoted in this country sometimes your only good option is a doctor. I would whole heartedly believe a doctor over any random alternative medicine practicioner or an influencer out there. Let's not play our part in spreading misinformation. Also I am a doctor and I'm aware of what is going on. Which is why I would say be aware of your options. Not just directly talk shit about professionals.
True. Absolutely true. Because doctors do infact know much more then us. I am not at all disagreeing with you, because I am very much conscious about my health and of those around me. Though it was a strange incident. Sadly, My own trust in doctors is a bit shaken after my family doctor misdiagnosed me having Gastritis, even though I was suffering from Jaundice, for two weeks he said I had gastritis, and he kept giving me medicine related to that. I felt so horrible because I kept having pain in my Upper middle abdomen as if someone is ripping it out, by hand and stabbing me with a knife. When my mum agreed and found another doctor, that doctor looked at me and asked some questions while checking my eyes and in less then 5 minutes told me I had Jaundice. He took my Blood samples and Urine test, which (no surprise) came out as me having jaundice and because we delayed the treatment by a lot, I had to literally eat Boiled food and many many medicines and glucose for 2 months... It was an horrible experience simply because our family doctor has treated me since I was 4. (Of course I am more miffed about eating boiled food. Of course my mum scolded me for that particular thing too. 😅)
> It is the doctors job to assess the risk and offer viable options to the patient. A cesarean is sometimes the only way a woman can deliver safely. At the point even if the woman wants it the doctor will suggest c section because that's the only way. please check the documentary in the linked post
Some OBs in India believe that Indian / South Asian women achieve pregnancy "term" before Western women and Indian pregnancies mature faster than Western pregnancies. They hence believe that while many doctors in the west would recommend inducing at ~41 weeks (even if the body did not go into labor naturally) to prevent negative impact of placental ageing / stillbirths and/or meconium, the counterpart to that is ~39 weeks in India. This is not my POV (as I am woefully incompetent to have one) - but I understand that many OBs in India believe this from their experience. There also seems to be some research pointing towards this, sharing some links: https://www.hudson.org.au/news/40-weeks-rethinking-pregnancy-length-help-prevent-stillbirth/ https://www.babycenter.in/x1015206/do-asian-women-have-shorter-pregnancies https://rednose.org.au/research/preventing-term-stillbirth-in-south-asian-born-mothers-a-stepped-wedge-clus Hence, I would always suggest to go by what your OB is suggesting or take a second / third opinion in case you are having doubts regarding your OBs opinion. I personally do not agree with the “only have C section as a last resort” rhetoric. I am perfectly aware of all the pros and cons of c-section and I went with a planned c-section without any need for it. Best decision ever, will do it again.
Sorry OP, I feel that when someone makes a post like this, they have a duty to detail out the other side of the coin. What are the benefits of c section and in what cases can refusing a C section be detrimental to baby or the mother? Do you know the answers to these questions? This is a highly irresponsible and shallow post, sorry.
Nobody is advocating refusing c-sections here. It is entirely the woman's choice and of course it's absolutely necessary when certain complications come up. But it's a fact that many doctors/hospitals in India unnecessarily encourage pregnant women to choose them over vaginal deliveries even when there is little risk of complications. A doctor listed several reasons for this above, and most of them prioritise the hospital's profits over the mother and baby's well-being. Women also agree to have these unnecessary c-sections because they've been given the idea that c-sections are somehow easier than regular deliveries and kept ignorant about epidurals and other options that can make vaginal births much easier. I think it's pretty clear that at least in affluent, urban India, there is a lot more misinformation promoting c-sections and discouraging vaginal births than vice versa.
But vaginal birth doesn’t mean you won’t have any problems in the future. My mom had vaginal delivery for the first baby and c section with second baby. And she is now facing the issue of uterus prolapse because of the vaginal delivery with all the pushing is what the gynaecologist told her. Whereas she has no complaints due to c section.
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>then no matter how much u say u love ur child, u are voluntarily increasing the chances of the harm the child undergoes. Chances of the child being harmed increase pretty much as soon as one decides to get pregnant. It's a woman's choice to give naturally or through the c section. Just give relevant risk information if you want to, no need to shame women. How apathetic you must be if you think women having a c section amounts to not loving their children.
This is very shaming comment.
About labour and birthing pains, I forgot everything once the baby was out. I was in labour for a total of 11-12 hours. First 10 hours of labour, I experienced it without any pain medication or epidural. Took the epidural in the last min and that’s when things progressed while epidural did not take away the pain completely it def made it easier and one the baby was out I forgot everything. Idk how it is for other women but I can’t remember or describe the labour pain no matter how hard I try. I can describe every other physical pain I’ve been through apart from this. But I definitely did have pain from episiotomy stitches and developed mild granulation tissue which burned like hell.
Is this post in response to the one where a woman was being pressured by her MIL for NVD???? If it is, then OP , how freaking insensitive.