Hi, I am pregnant and my baby was diagnosed just over 3 weeks ago, 16 weeks pregnant, with gastroschisis. I was incredibly upset when I first heard my baby had a problem but my partner was incredibly supportive and after hearing the doctors and nurses were very confident and positive that the baby had every chance as any other it didn’t take long for me to perk up. Now, at 20 weeks pregnant I had assumed until yesterday that I would have a c-section because the thought of the baby’s intstines being squeesed against the baby’s body and such coming out makes me feel uncomfortable, but yesterday my consultant said that it is going ahead as natural birth. Has any one else here had a natural birth with a gastroschisis baby? If so what was it like? Was everything okay? Is there any advice you can give me.
Thanks! Any feedback would be brilliant.
Jodie – 18, Newport – Wales
I was told by my OB and my Perinatologist that a c-section is the better way to go in situations like these. Having a natural birth can put a lot of stress on the baby and with them having gastroschisis they do not need anything extra to complicate the delivery. Natural birth also has a highers your chances for an infection of the intestines because there is a lot of bacteria throughout the birth canal that can affect the open wound and intestines. With a c-section it is all sterile and the intestines can stay sterile throughout the delivery and surgery. I was looking forward to a natural delivery and even though I still had the option I chose c-section because it was safest for the baby. Not saying that natural delivery isn’t safe at all but it can increase your chances for infection of the intestines. Good luck with your pregnancy and your little one
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Hello, I has my daughter Mariah was 3 weeks early not knowing what there was to come. I was very sick throughout my pregnancy in and out of the hospital trying to stop preterm labor. She was born naturally. I think the doctors went into panic mode. we were not at a hospital that had a NICU to care for her. Mariah was transported by a NICU transport team that drove 30 mins to get her. I had 5 ultra sounds and none of them were able to show us any early signs of her defect. Mariah was in surgery for 8 hours. All of her bowls were able to be put back in all at one time. She was unstable to the first 3 days of her life. After 21 days in the NICU she came home. Mariah is now 12 and has no medical issues and only one sign that anything was different with her. And for those who are scared to have any more children after having one with this type of defect i have 2 other children that were born normal.