XP: Bummed Out (long)

MamaPajama2010

I've done a little bit of venting on here about the situation I'm in with my daughter's birth, my large fibroid, and making a decision to have it out or not (and thus affecting future pregnancies/births)... so I hope you don't mind an update/pity party. 

I had a doctor appointment this week, and it went terribly. I'm so upset about it. At my last appointment, my doctor said she would fully support a VBAC attempt with the fibroid in, but she felt I only had about a 50/50 shot at success (because the fibroid is in the fundal area and affects contractions). She said if we take it out, I'd have to wait 3 months before TTC and then I'd have a RCS. She didn't even bring up VBAC after the myomectomy surgery as an option.

Since then, I've done TONS of research on VBAC after myomectomy. I felt really good about my options because I have all these really solid research studies showing that the risk of uterine rupture during a VBAC after myomectomy is virturally non-exsistent. I even have a table comparing studies that shows in 888 births after myomectomy there were ZERO ruptures during vaginal deliveries.

Anyway, back to the appointment. I go in and she basically says that she would technically still support me if I chose to VBAC with the fibroid in, but that now for some reason she thinks my chances are slim to none (she actually said, "well technically your chances are higher than zero, so it would still be your choice-- I just don't think you really have a chance"). So basically, she wouldn't actually support that decision. She gave no reason for her new "statistic". Then she said she feels I would have to wait six months before TTC (which really throws a wrench in our plans because timing-wise we wanted to start trying in June... the surgery wouldn't be until March). On top of that, she said she wouldn't let me go past 37 weeks before the RCS, but again, had nothing to back that up. I told her that I feel strongly about not having a baby before 39 weeks without a real reason, and she said that was completely out of the question in her mind. I showed her the studies and she wouldn't even look at them. I tried to explain that it was very clearly proven that I have a 0.5-0.7% chance of rupture for the VBAC but that the myomectomy didn't increase those odds at all during labor (so obviously waiting until 39 weeks shouldn't be an issue either). She seriously just blew me off the entire time. I was so upset!

The bigger problem is that there are only 2 practices in my area, and I refuse to go to the other because that is where I went during my pregnancy with C and they botched things up entirely. So now I'm stuck trying to find other practices still a reasonable drive (the closest is about 1hr 15mn away) that accept my insurance and are taking new patients. I just can't believe that my current doctor feels that my ONLY option is major abdominal surgery (I'm a SAHM but would have to have someone home with me for 2-6 weeks) and then waiting 6 months to TTC with a RCS at 37 weeks! Blah! I even asked about making the C-section more family-centered instead of taking the baby away immediately for several hours (that is the "protocol" for my area) and she looked at me like I was a complete lunatic. Why do women have to fight so hard for a dignified birth?!

::pout pout pout::

MAprincess

That stinks.  She gave you no reason for a RCS at 37 weeks???  Seriously???  And blowing you off and refusing to look at the latest research and statistics is unacceptable.  I'm sorry this means a longer drive for you, but you need to be taken care of by someone who is a professional and trustworthy.

MamaPajama2010

MAprincess:

That stinks.  She gave you no reason for a RCS at 37 weeks???  Seriously???  And blowing you off and refusing to look at the latest research and statistics is unacceptable.  I'm sorry this means a longer drive for you, but you need to be taken care of by someone who is a professional and trustworthy.

 Her reasoning for a 37 week rcs is that otherwise "it isn't safe". When I tried to show her that it actually was "safe", she honestly wouldn't hear a word of it. It sucks because she is really the most VBAC friendly doctor in my area I have found (will let patients go to 42 weeks and even then will do foley and low-dose pit instead of rcs, etc). I was so encourged after my last appointment with her in September and then it was like in a matter of a few months absolutely everything changed. There were so many red flags   I have an appointment with a practice in a different city in 2 weeks and another is supposed to be calling me back on Monday. I just wish there were more options.

MAprincess

MamaPajama2010:

MAprincess:

That stinks.  She gave you no reason for a RCS at 37 weeks???  Seriously???  And blowing you off and refusing to look at the latest research and statistics is unacceptable.  I'm sorry this means a longer drive for you, but you need to be taken care of by someone who is a professional and trustworthy.

 Her reasoning for a 37 week rcs is that otherwise "it isn't safe". When I tried to show her that it actually was "safe", she honestly wouldn't hear a word of it. It sucks because she is really the most VBAC friendly doctor in my area I have found (will let patients go to 42 weeks and even then will do foley and low-dose pit instead of rcs, etc). I was so encourged after my last appointment with her in September and then it was like in a matter of a few months absolutely everything changed. There were so many red flags   I have an appointment with a practice in a different city in 2 weeks and another is supposed to be calling me back on Monday. I just wish there were more options.

I'm sorry.  I wonder what happened to make her change her tune like that.  And I really don't like that she refused to discuss the research with you.  She can disagree with it or explain why you are a different case in some way but she shouldn't just wave you off like that.  I hope your appointment at the new place goes well!

littlemac1117

Have you thought at all about trying to find a midwife in your area? Or maybe going a little farther away to find a better doctor who will be more supportive? This makes me really sad, it sounds like you are being bullied, especially because she had no scientific evidence to support not letting you go past 37 weeks. That sounds crazy IMO.

picksthemusic

I'm giving your OB a giant side-eye with this. Obviously she's worried about a lawsuit, especially if she has NO data to back up her practices. Any OB worth their weight will have good data to back up their decisions - not just to cover their butt to avoid a lawsuit.

 I'm so sorry you're going through this. Have you thought of seeing a midwife instead of an OB?