Hysterectomy?

It isn't normal to remove ovaries when you have a hysterectomy unless they're diseased or causing other problems Jason. I've put a link in which demonstrates the four kinds of hysterectomy that are most commonly performed.

http://www.womenshealthlondon.org.uk...ges/hyst04.gif

Like Snoozan my mother had a hysterectomy, in her case because of problems with bleeding, nowadays her problems would have been treated differently but her doctors attitude was 'you don't want more kids, let's whip it out'.

I think if you are closer to natural menopause they remove them for the sake of getting them out as they could be become cancerous not being in function like before. If you are many years away from menopause, they tend to leave them in there. Unless you get the uterus removed due to cancer, they dont like to leave any other things in there that could be prone to getting cancer like the ovaries. Standard practice might be different in the UK compared to the USA. I know the c-section rates and whatnot are different.

Snoozie....hell my grandmas hysterectomy scar goes from her sternum to her pubic bone, now tell me why in the hell you need an 18 inch scar for a tiny little organ like the uterus? We can deliver big babies in half that incision size. Its so barbaric to think about the old ways of surgery. Im still shocked to find out that shaving your pubic hair, enemas and episiotomies were the norm at an uneventful birth back in the day.

Women used to squat behind trees for pete's sake and pop out infants, do we really need to drape the moms legs down to keep her own blood from getting on her? Geez!

Water birth in warm saline is best. The stirrups don't allow a woman to push properly and the saline dilates the cervix. The way we do it in the west is ridiculous.

And very glad to know the ovaries are usually left.

It must be slightly different BHR here they leave them alone unless there's something wrong with them.

I didn't fancy a water birth, but I didn't have to use stirrups either, they pretty much let you do what you want unless it's medically required. I didn't go to ante natal classes as I figured giving birth is what women have been doing for at least 100 years :) so my body will know what to do.

It's funny how ideas on giving birth and baby's change, when my mum had me a 'lying in' period was still common where you had to have bed rest after having a baby, she had to stay in bed for ten days - something we know now is terrible for new mums. I had an episiotomy after I'd had a small tear but it's not done as a matter of course.

Hell nothing about my getting pregnant and having my child was conventional. My poor uterus has retired and moved to Florida.

What are the rates for c-sections there BHR, funnily enough I was in the women's unit this morning with a friend who'd recently had a baby and was having her post natal, while I was bored and waiting I was leafing through the leaflets and they said 1 in 5 births here.

I think last i checked it was 1 in 4. I think my doctor was trying too hard to not go to the scalpel that he about killed me waiting so long. I wear that big scar like a badge of honor and pluck the stray hairs around it with pride! ha ha

I think some vaginal births are more traumatic than some c-sections. I'm tickled that i dont have to go through either ever again in my lifetime!

I believe the latest is 29%. Obstetricians are the most-sued physicians out there and doing a C-section helps remove some potential legal liabilities. It's nice when lawyers practice medicine. They do everything so well.

Hell i should have had a lawyer in my delivery room! Things might have gone better....plus i could have taken my anger out on him too!

(In between pots and pans and dinner...)

I'm not saying anyone here is saying so, but quite frankly, I get annoyed at people poo-pooing c-section rates.

There are faaaaaar fewer deaths and brain damaged babies since C sections became "fashionable".

When I look at my oldest kid, I thank Dog that I was able to have an emergency c section with him.

When the figures are 1 in 5 that's too many for my liking, some of them are performed needlessly, when they're medically indicated well and good but so many seem to be performed for the doctor's convenience and to cover his back.

Amen HotMilf.....Amen Amen Amen! My daughter and i would have died back in the day. When you are laboring for 33 hours like me or if you begin to have a complication like you...you are happy to have your tummy sliced open!

Would you ever try a vbac? i've wondered if i ever would submit myself to the deepest pits of pain in hell ever again!

Funny story-- my grandmother was 9 months pregnant and out picking strawberries on the farm. Now, you have to understand, my grandmother is a strawberry fanatic and also has somewhat nervous bowels. Because it was hot, and she was hungry and pregnant, she ate about half of what she picked that day. About halfway through, she started having stomach cramps, but pass it off as her bowels not liking that she'd eaten so many strawberries. She went inside and about an hour later popped out my aunt. The doctor came in to look at her and drove off. For her second child, she knew she was in labor and called the doctor, he came to her house and examined her and said the baby wasn't coming and he was going down the street to the barber should she need anything. Within minutes, my aunt popped out and someone had to roust the doc from the barber chair.

I had a c-section too. I wish I didn't but at the time it really was probably the only choice since I was pre-eclamptic.

What I think is very cool is the increased prevalence of birth centers, midwives, and home births. Even hospitals are getting less rigid in how they treat deliveries.

I was always convinced my waters would break when I was in a shop and for the last month I'd carry a blanket around with me to sit on when that happened :)