Research shows that getting pregnant less than six months after a C-section can increase your risk of complications, such as ruptured uterus or a low birth weight baby.
Getting pregnant after a c-section
It's important to give your body time to recover before you start trying to get pregnant again. You will need to wait at least 6 months but your doctor or midwife may advise you to wait for 12–18 months. The longer you leave your scar to heal, the stronger it will be.
Rushing into things too quickly and even sex four weeks after a C-section can lead to complications such as infection. Six weeks is the average amount of time it takes the uterus to return to its normal size, cervix to close, and C-section incision to heal.
This gives the body a chance to heal properly and completely. It is essential NOT to try for another pregnancy within 6-12 months of a C-section procedure. At that point, the risk of a uterine rupture becomes high and complications of a pregnancy could be life threatening.
If you've had at least one prior C-section, you may want to know if you can have a successful future birth by vaginal delivery. The answer is yes, you likely can. Studies have shown that vaginal birth after cesarean delivery has a success rate of 60% to 80%.
The absolute risk of failed trial of vaginal birth after a cesarean was 45% (95% CI: 38.5, 51.5). Conclusion: Women who have one previous C-section face a markedly increased risk of repeat caesarean sections and feto-maternal complications in subsequent pregnancies.
There is a very high risk that your scar could rupture (burst open or tear) when you try to have a vaginal birth, which could cause great harm to you and your baby. You'll need to have a C-section again.
What Are the Risks of Getting Pregnant After a C-Section? Research shows that getting pregnant less than six months after a C-section can increase your risk of complications, such as ruptured uterus or a low birth weight baby.
Types of C-section incisions
The first is through the skin of your lower abdomen, about an inch or two above your pubic hair line. The second is into the uterus, which is where the doctor will reach in to deliver your baby. The type of cut on your abdomen may not be the same as the one on your uterus.
Uterine rupture is usually when the scar from your previous caesarean section tears open. Though it's uncommon, you should be aware of this risk, particularly if you're thinking about giving birth vaginally next time. It's possible for your scar to gape slightly while you're pregnant (scar dehiscence).
Although you may experience slightly less bleeding with a cesarean section, it will still take about six weeks for your cervix to close completely. Some women may feel ready to resume intercourse sooner than others, but you should only have sex again once given the ok by your obstetrician and when you feel comfortable.
We know that every patient has a different labor and delivery experience, but in general, it takes around six weeks to completely heal from your C-section. “We realize many of our patients also face the challenge of caring for the baby while they're recovering,” said Dr. Son.
Dr. Puls says most OBs will give the green light for resuming sexual activity after 6 weeks. “In general, we want the uterus to be able to clean itself out and for surgical incisions to heal, so there is less risk of infection,” Dr. Puls said.
There's usually no limit to the number of caesarean sections that you can have. But the more caesareans you have, the longer each operation will take, and the higher your risk of complications becomes. If you've had a caesarean in the past, it's still possible to give birth to your baby vaginally.
A repeat caesarean section usually takes longer and is more difficult than a first operation because of scar tissue. It carries a possibility of wound infection and blood transfusion. A higher risk of developing a blood clot (thrombosis) in the legs or lungs.
However, from the current medical evidence, most medical authorities do state that if multiple C-sections are planned, the expert recommendation is to adhere to the maximum number of three.”
Ideally, your doctor will cut through the same scar so that you don't have multiple scars on your abdomen and uterus. Sometimes scar tissue can be difficult to cut through but your doctor should be able to cut through it.
At the beginning of a caesarean section, six separate layers of the abdominal wall and uterus are opened individually. Once the baby is delivered the uterus is closed with a double layer of stitching.
During elective (planned) caesarean sections, some obstetricians routinely dilate the cervix intraoperatively, using sponge forceps, a finger, or other instruments, because the cervix of women not in labour may not be dilated, and this may cause obstruction of blood or lochia drainage.
One rule of thumb, DeAngelis said, is if a woman who previously had a cesarean should spontaneously go into labor with her second baby, chances of having a vaginal delivery increase. If she goes beyond her due date though and her body isn't showing any signs that it is ready for labor, a cesarean may be recommended.
You can get pregnant as little as 3 weeks after the birth of a baby, even if you're breastfeeding and your periods haven't started again. Unless you want to get pregnant again, it's important to use some kind of contraception every time you have sex after giving birth, including the first time.
There's also lower risk of blood loss and other complications. If you want to have more pregnancies, having a V.B.A.C. is better for your future deliveries because it reduces the risk that the placenta will implant on your cesarean scar (a form of placenta accreta) in future pregnancies.
Vaginal delivery has a lower chance of scarring, severe bleeding, reactions to medications, and long-lasting pain. Since the mother is healthier and more active, the possibility of breastfeeding early on is more.
A caesarean section (C-section) is an elective or emergency operation used to help babies be born. About 1 in 3 deliveries are completed this way.
After a cesarean surgery, it is normal for scar tissue to develop. However, sometimes internal scarring from a C-section can cause obstructions and inflammation in the abdomen and reproductive organs that, in turn, can prevent future pregnancies.