
Though some women need to have Caesareans for medical reasons, there is also a rise in the number of women requesting Caesarean sections for a number of reasons.
Whatever the reason for Caesarean section, apart from increasing the risk of repeat Caesarean section for subsequent births, there are also long term consequences of caesarean section.
These include:
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Endometriosis
- Caesarean scar ectopic
- Post menopausal bleeding
- Increased Hysterectomy rates
Increased in the risk of Menorrhagia (heavy abnormal menstrual bleeding
- Increased risk of Adhesions (scar tissue)
- Intrauterine adhesions (Scarring of the inside of the womb) also known as Asherman's syndrom
Caesarean scar ectopic pregnancy is where the pregnancy implants in the deficiency that is caused by the scar from Caesarean section.
It presents with pain and bleeding after missing a period and having a positive pregnancy test.
The diagnosis is often confused with a miscarriage, as the pregnancy lies low in the uterine cavity. The two conditions are differentiated by particular finding on ultrasound scan.
Once the diagnosis is made treatment can either be by medical management with methotrexate or by means of surgery. Increasingly the surgery is carried out by the keyhole approach