Would you elect for a c/s in this situation?

[SuzyLee]

I am a carrier of a gene for colon cancer. Along with colon cancer, there is a high rate of ovarian/uterine cancer if you have the gene. Colon cancer can be very effectively screened for but no so much for ovarian/uterine. Thus, it is reccommended that when I know I am done having kids I get at least my ovaries removed, if not all my lady parts.

If we decide to have a 3rd child, we will 100% be done after that. Would you consider an elective c/s and just get your hysterectomy all at once?

The main downside seems to be that labor/delivery is good for the baby and nursing. I assume if I wanted a hysterectomy at the same time, they would want to schedule the c/s vs. doing it once I had labored for awhile.

[nikirj]

Hysterectomies can be done without an abdominal incision, as a much more minor surgery than a c/s. Plus a hysterectomy with a c/s has a much higher rate of complications than a hysterectomy alone (there are a lot of reasons for this, most of them having to do with the size and bloodflow to the uterus at term). So I'd consider doing them separately, even though it will mean an "extra" hospital admission. The combined recovery might be less than doing it all at once; that would be something to talk about with your gyn, though, because there are several different hysterectomy methods out there now, not all of them equal wrt recovery time.

The other consideration is whether your insurance would pay for the combo c/s but not the separate procedure because of how the doc would be able to code it.

[thefreckledmama]

A friend of mine had a hysterectomy a couple years ago, they did it with a few tiny incisions, and it was an outpatient surgery.

I personally would NOT have a c-section only to have the hysterectomy done at the same time. Now if a situation were to arise that REQUIRED, WITHOUT A DOUBT a c-section, I might explore the option of having it done at the same time, but even still probably not. Not only would you be dealing with the hormone fluctuations of childbirth, but then you would be thrown into a whole other flux from no longer having your ovaries-not something I would want to compound at once if it could be helped.

[Storm Bride]

In addition to what the other posters have already said, you don't have to have the hysterectomy immediately after the baby arrives. So, I don't think it makes sense to subject yourself to an unnecessary surgical recovery while you're also adjusting to a new baby, breastfeeding, etc.

[Bmorefarmgirl]

i would think that that would be a huge disruption in hormones to have your ovaries removed along with the baby. ?

[Drummer's Wife]

no, I would not.

[smeisnotapirate]

Nope.

[Red Pajama]

No, I would not want to do that. I imagine a hysterectomy would be much less complicated after your baby was older.

Just because you are done having kids does not mean that you should have that procedure done at the same time as birth. If I were in your shoes, I believe I'd wait until baby was about a year.

[kltroy]

I'd wait to do the hysterectomy and ovaries until after you have weaned your baby. Hormone balance is important for lots of things postpartum, and it sounds like you're doing this preventively anyway. It seems worth it to let your body function normally at this point b/c of all the physiology pertaining to birth and nursing.

[AlexisT]

Wait. You'll be put into shock menopause. Have you asked about how the hormonal changes would affect you pp and in terms of lactation?

[mwherbs]

no, a c-section is higher risk for baby, and you, all the way around this would not be for the good of anyone's health. the reason that they like to do it when you have a baby is because then they can be absolutely sure that they are not removing an early pregnancy.
I would also recommend talking to someone who is a lactation expert- because I also suspect that there could be complications for breastfeeding with removal of your ovaries and uterus. perhaps waiting till the baby is 6 months if you are planning to breastfeed- from what I have read the risk of HNPCC causing colorectal cancer is very high , uterine cancer a little less so 50/50 and ovarian cancer is 9-12% .
take care

[etsdtm99]

I would not. too much risk for baby/mom & breastfeeding relationship.. i would wait until baby is weaned and go with the less invasive surgery..

[paintedbison]

Originally Posted by etsdtm99

I would not. too much risk for baby/mom & breastfeeding relationship.. i would wait until baby is weaned and go with the less invasive surgery..

This is what I would do as well.

[SuzyLee]

I haven't done any research yet. Just the fact that a hysterectomy can be done laproscopically makes up my mind! I figured if I had to have my abdomen chopped open anyway it would be worth considering.

I hadn't thought about the hormonal issues with BF'ing either. This is definitely a no-go!

[rachel65655]

I would not do it, but then again I would not have a hysterectomy just because maybe, by some chance, possibly, down the road, I might get cancer. Just carrying the gene does not mean that you will definitely end up with cancer.

Would you have your breasts removed immediately after the birth of your baby if you happened to carry a gene that they think is linked to breast cancer?

I think that you need to not only weigh the risks of having the procedure done now but having it done at all.

[AlexisT]

No, it doesn't mean you'll definitely get cancer. (Keep in mind, however, that the chance can be very high: 80% lifetime chance of breast cancer for some BRCA mutations, for example.)

Ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to screen for, even when a woman is at known risk. A 10-20% risk of ovarian cancer terrifies me more than an 80% risk of breast cancer, because it can be missed more easily.

I have been through genetic counseling myself. I have not chosen surgery at this time, but I completely understand the choice of any woman who does. Please, unless you have been in this situation, do not judge.

[lilabet]

Originally Posted by rachel65655

I would not do it, but then again I would not have a hysterectomy just because maybe, by some chance, possibly, down the road, I might get cancer. Just carrying the gene does not mean that you will definitely end up with cancer.

Would you have your breasts removed immediately after the birth of your baby if you happened to carry a gene that they think is linked to breast cancer?

I think that you need to not only weigh the risks of having the procedure done now but having it done at all.

Yes. I carry the BRCA 2 mutation so will be having all my lady parts removed once I'm done having kids.