Do I need to get my records?

[SashaBear]

Do I need to get my records from my intervention complicated vaginal birth and c-section birth? How difficult is it to get them?

[bonichka]

The only thing I needed was the Operative Report from the C-Section. It details the surgery itself, and I think the most important thing they're looking for is documentation of the type of incision on the uterus. You probably just have to fill out a request form at the hospital, and pay a small copying fee. Call the hospital and ask for the medical records department.

Good luck!

[GoestoShow]

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Edited by GoestoShow - 1/6/11 at 8:38am

[kltroy]

I would actually hold off until your next pregnancy. Here's why: they will give them to you, but will probably require you to pay for the copies, and they can charge a lot per page. You may end up with a stack of very expensive paper.

When your care provider requests them, I believe they are required to transfer them with no charge. Then you can just ask your new OB or midwive to make a copy of the 1-2 pages that you might want to keep for your records (the operative report is what I would keep). I stuck a copy of my OR report into my son's baby book. I thought it might be interesting for him later in life.

[SashaBear]

When I have another kid I'm going with an illegal lay midwife so I won't be tranferring records. I haven't decided if I'll get a new OB/GYN.

[mom2happy]

records

I tried to get mine transferred to my new ob that agreed to do a vba2c.
The old office said they would forward them, but never did. It took me 3 calls and they charged me $30 to make the necessary copies.
I COULD NOT believe the lies that were in my file.
They have to write down how labor progressed and a lot of details.
THey left out that THEY broke my water!!!! Thats why i didnt go into labor and needed a c-section. Then they wrote for my next c section that I didnt want a vbac when the entire staff of doctors flat out refused!!!
Wow. The new ob Im seeing said this is just the way it is and it happens all the time. Most people dont see their files.
GET them!!

[lyterae]

I called up the hospital I delivered at and got my records, it wasn't terribly expensive but I did pay for them.

I found it very useful to have them because it showed the progress of labor and it also had other pertinent information like the position and station the baby was in when I delivered her via c-section. Some of the information I don't remember or didn't know. So for example, my file was labeled "failure to progress" and on my records it shows she was "right-occiput-transverse" her head didn't turn the way it should have in labor and we didn't progress past +1 station (I believe, I don't have the records with me). It also had information on my incision, etc.

So all in all, yes I do think it's helpful to have them if only because there may be information in there that you need to know.

:

[ginadc]

My midwives required the operative report from my C-section. Basically, they need to know what kind of incision you had--and they can't necessarily tell just by looking, since sometimes the external scar differs from the internal one.

I just had to call the OB who did my C-section and request a records transfer. She needed a written letter asking for the transfer, which I faxed. I did have to call her office manager once to remind her to send the report, but then she sent it right away. I wasn't charged anything.

[cairomama]

I got the records from my c-section and pregnancy (a big stack of paper), by faxing the office. I just had them send them to my mom's house because I was overseas. I did not have to pay. Just check with the office/hospital to see their policy regarding charges.

[shellbell76]

I went to records room at the hospital that I had my c-section. I just had to fill out a request, wait 10 days and pay $30.00. It was very easy and very informative for my midwife.

GL