Emergency vs Unplanned C-Section

Jess & Drew

What exactly is the definition of an "emergency" c-section?

I had a c-section that was unplanned, but I don't think of it as an "emergency". DDs heart rate was droppping down into the 40s. The Dr's were able to get her stabilized and decided it was probably best to go ahead and induce since we had made it to 37 wks. I failed to progress, so I had a c-section. I think of an emergency c-section as the Dr's have to rush you into the OR, knock you out (if necessary), and start slicing and dicing to save either mom or baby's life. I see a lot of people (on all of the boards) saying they had an emergency c-section, and I'm just curious if they are really that common (by my definition) or if there is a broader medical definition that ends up encompassing more c-sections. Just a lurker with curious question, and I figured the c-section board would probably have an answer.

RayRay007

I agree with your distinction and it really bothers me when people say they had an emergency c/s when really they had an unplanned c/s. I had an emergency c/s like you described - literally running down the hall, would've knocked me out and done it without consent if DD hadn't had that brief moment of stability when we got into the ER.

Winomama

I agree. Not to sound snarky, but my cousin is a drama queen, and texted me "I am having an emergency c-section in 6 hours!! when she had her LO. NOT an emergency!

Jess & Drew

It kind of bothers me too because it seems like every other person had an "emergency" c-section. I just couldn't fathom that many people had a life or death scare in the delivery room, so I figured I would ask what the definition was just in case I was wrong...wouldn't be the first time. I think some people truly have emergencies (like RayRay007), and I guess the rest are either mistaken on unplanned vs emergency or they are drama queens.

TofuMama7

ArkansasMom22:

Based on what they taught in my birth class I believe an emergency c-section is just what you said- Rush to the OR to get baby out as fast as possible. Emergency c-sections typically have a vertical incision (Instead of the low horizontal incision that is common with unplanned or scheduled c-sections) and you are put under as that is the fastest way for them to get baby out. Also no one can go with the mom into the OR for an emergency c-section.
An Unplanned C-section is when the mother has labored and baby is not coming for whatever reason and they decide to do a c-section. Usually with unplanned you can have someone with you in the OR and you aren't put under.

I agree with this. My best friend had an emergency C-section in August due to severe preeclampsia. She was rushed to a bigger hospital in an ambulance, put completely out and the baby was delivered as soon as she arrived. It was definitely an emergency.

Mrs.Rose

My sister and I have both had what I consider emergency c-sections.  Hers was far more dramatic than mine - she had a placental abruption at 33 weeks and was bleeding all over the place. They knocked her out, did the nasty vertical incision and got my niece out ASAP.  They didn't even bother giving her any pain meds until she woke up from surgery.  She was a total wreck.

I had one when my DS#2 was in clear distress, not responding to any stimulus, and had a flat heart rate.  I was in surgery about 25 minutes after arriving in triage from my midwife's office - after they gave me fluids, meds and zapped him with the buzzer thing to try to get him to respond.  I had a regular incision and a spinal, but they were definitely in a serious hurry to get him out.  I was barfing into my hair and no one even noticed that for about 5 minutes - I was not the priority.

Both of us were told that we would have lost our babies if we had not gone in when we did. 

 

vanessaNOV2

My first was like yours, so I didn't think it was much of a real emergency, but my 3rd baby I was scheduled for a csection and went into labor 4 days before which was sooo scary. I was in soo much pain from contraction and given epi fast bc I progressing so quickly. Then right when everybody was ready to go into OR another women was in MORE emergency then me with heavy bleeding who needed a csection. So I had to wait another hour before they had OR available again. I think that there are levels of emergency csections.

mkwt

I had an emergency c-section......I had cord prolapse at home after my water broke, we drove extremely fast to the hosptial, they rolled me straight to OR, DH could not go with me, I was put under general anteshia and no pain meds till I woke up and then I had to wait for the pharmacy to open.  I would NEVER wish that on anyone, VERY SCARY experience.

RachelG1016

Mine was considered an emergency. From the time they told me that they needed to get my DS out of my to the time he was born was 10 minutes. I was bleeding and his heart rate was plummeting with every contraction and they couldn't get it back up without turning me. The cord was wrapped around his neck and pulling the placenta away from the uterine wall.

They would have put me out if I hadn't had the epidural already. I did get a bikini cut vs. a vertical cut and my mother was in there but she was only allowed because she was a nurse at the hospital.

There was a lot of running and panicking outside of my room according to my mom.

Jessfulller

My C-section was initailly unplanned. I went in after a long labor and me and baby were fine. They started to cut me and I went into shock and was bleeding a lot. They kicked my husband out and out me under! I would havemuch rather have been awake but my body just wasnt up for that. It was awful and recovery worse.

megs2011

They called my c/s an emergency. I was showing signs of Pre-e, and HELLP syndrome along with IUGR so they decided the babies were coming out that day because waiting any longer would put them and myself in danger. I was going into the OR within the hour.. as soon as one was available. I received a spinal, and a low horizontal incision and DH was in the room. They needed to get those babies out asap.

mrsbnlmel

My experience was a lot like the PP. I had severe Pre-e and my baby was SGA. They had induced me but nothing happened. At the point they made the call my BP had gotten really scary and I was in surgery in less than 30 minutes. They referred to it as an emergency, but I never have. I was awake and DH did get to come in right before it started. I always viewed and emergency exactly as you described, knocked out, cut the baby out fast as you can, life or death situation. My experience was scary, unplanned and there was a certain amount of danger I'm sure, but not what I ever considered an emergency. 

+Jasha+

Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I would NEVER tell another woman whether or not her c/s was an emergency. 

Mine was termed emergency by my dr's, therefore that is the term that I use.  I received a low horizontal cut, was not put under general, nor am I a drama queen (but thank you for the insinuation).  Just because I was awake and had someone in the room with me, and my son is alive and healthy doesn't mean it wasn't an emergency.  There is very little that is more scary than lying on an operating table and hearing a nurse ask the dr a question and hearing the dr's response: "NO!  I need to get this baby out now!"  Not to mention having a team of NICU drs in the room with us in preparation for something bad.   There was nothing but urgency in the actions of every one in the room. 

Perhaps I was simply fortunate to be in a hospital that is well equipped, and a dr that is well trained in emergencies and things didn't have to get as bad as they could have.

The next morning my dr came in to check on me and see how I was dealing mentally with the c/s.  That was when she told me that if I hadn't agreed to the c/s when I did, I would have been put under general and there was a high potential of my son passing away. 

So, yeah, it was an emergency even though it doesn't meet your definition. 

byrne15

I had an emergency c-section.

I was pushing for 1.5 hours and then they lost ds's HR.  The dr called for a c-section and all of the sudden they were running me down the hall (about 7 people runnng along side of me).  Next thing  I knew, I was being knocked out and DH wasn't allowed to be in the room.  DS1 was born within 5 minutes.  I woke up 2 hours later.

I had a planned c-section for DS2...what a difference.

pghjen

To me, an emergency c-section is "we need to get the baby out asap or we are looking at a stillborn or baby deprived of oxygen/brain damaged" situation.  I think most people refer to their c-section in the manner their Dr/Nurse do. 

Ex:  I have a good friend who had an emergency c-section, but she had about 45 minutes between being notified she was having a e-c-section and when they did it.  Her hubby was there, she was awake and she got to hold her baby right after he was born.  I am assuming that because her doctor told her she needed an emergency c-section, there was an emergency/urgency to delivery the baby immediately, so that is how she refers to her c-section. 

With my c-section, a team of doctors rushed my L&D room, my husband heard a Dr saying the baby has no heart rate, and then they grabbed my bed and RAN me down the hall to the OR. Baby was out in 90 seconds after I got to the OR. I was knocked out, hubby wasn't in the room. They told me the next day my c-section was due to placental abruption/terminal fetal brachaydia, and that it was imperative to get my son out asap to prevent brain damage or death.  I do have a horizontal incision.  And my son is perfectly healthy.

Two different situations - but both were deemed "emergency" by the doctors involved.

 

cltk12

I had a c/ after pushing for 3 hours and ds wasn't descending. They let us decide if we wanted to have a c/s or keep pushing for another 3 hours.  After deciding a c/s, things moved quickly, but I have never called it an emergency c/s.

Once we got our bill, it did say emergency c/s so we asked our friend who is a l&d nurse. She said there are different levels of c/s for billing purposes. Planned, emergent (which she said mine fell under: not planned, had opened the vaginal delivery cart and. Now had to open a c/s cart, was at 10pm so the staff working at that time gets paid more so need to charge more, etc), and emergency (you don't decide and they rush you off like pp said). 

ave1012

I had emergency c-section due to acute on set of pre-eclepmsia. Never had symptoms during pregnancy, negative urine, swelling would always go down, and I lost 5 pounds in the last two weeks. I went into the MD for my 40 week appointment and was sent to the hospital due to an huge spike in my blood pressure, not other outward signs. I really thought that I was going to go home because I was not dilated or effaced and though that I would be told to take it easy until I went into labor or had to be induced. Then when my blood work came back my platelet count was very low. They checked it again to make sure that it was not a fluke and it dropped even more. That is when they told me that the OR was being set up at that moment and that I was going to have general anesthesia and DH could not be in the room. MD told me that for my sake DD had to come out right now. Fortunately in my situation, DD was fine and was not the issue it was me. I know some people say that I am lucky, but I still am some what disappointed that I do not know what a contraction feels like because I never labored. Sorry to ramble.

goldenleaves

My first c/s was an emergency as in rushing to the OR with the nurse shouting "Get out of the way, get out of the way! This is an emergency!" DS's heart rate had dropped into the 40's and they couldn't get me to stop contracting. It felt like a million years before he cried. I was barely conscious, all I remember was throwing up a ton and I have absolutely no concept of time. I thought it was morning but he was actually born at 4:04pm. It sucked, obviously. Of course, it was right when my parents happened to show up at the hospital. My mom said she still remembers she and my dad both crying and just trying to find out if it was me or my son they were worried about. It took me a good year to be able to talk about it, I honestly thought we were losing him.

My second was planned but I didn't make it to the planned date. I still consider it planned. I went in, in labor and was in triage for maybe an hour before surgery. We didn't have to wait because I was high risk and I'm pretty sure we bumped somebody that was already being prepped. But it was fairly calm and luckily I actually remember all of it! It was a wonderful experience.