How Long Between C-sections?

For those talking about false postivies, they are not impossible, just rare. There could be various reasons for a false positive test.

1) Chemical Pregnancy
A chemical pregnancy is basically an early miscarriage. Research has shown that half of all first pregnancies end in miscarriage. Due to the high sensitivity of home pregnancy tests, many women catch early pregnancies but end up going on to have their periods due to a chemical pregnancy.

2) Missed Reaction Time
For accuracy in home pregnancy tests it is essential that you read the test results in the stipulated reaction time. If you let the test sit for too long (after the instructions on the box tell you), the test is invalid. This may cause it to show false positive results.

3) Chemical Interference
Drugs that have the pregnancy hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) in them can cause incorrect results in home pregnancy tests. The Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) in them may be responsible for the false positive pregnancy test. If you have had an HCG shot due to infertilty treatments, you need to be sure the shot is out of your system before you attempt to use early pregnancy tests.

4) Evaporation Lines
While technically not a true pregnancy, some pregnancy tests leave a faint evaporation line as the urine crosses the test. This faint very light grey evaporation line in the test area is often interpretted as a positive result.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi C.,I had two sons that are 13months apart both delivered by Csection that was in 1981,my second was in 82..Modern medicine is so much better...I had know promblems with my uterus healed fined and there was no complications..I am actually glad that the births were close.They seemed to get along better as they got older almost like twins..

1 mom found this helpful

I have had 2 classic C-Sections though not close together. My first was in '02 when I found out my son was breech 1 week before my due date. The second (which I requested) was in '06 when I had my second son. The second C-Section was probably not necessary, but being that I had already experienced the surgery and healed quickly with little to no pain I asked to have another. Both went smoothly and both were very easy to recover from. The second was a bit more sore but that was because when they finished delivering my son I had them tie my tubes. It is my understanding that your body needs around 6 months to fully recover from the surgery so I would think being that yours was back in Febuary that you should be ok but I am sure your Dr. will discuss any concerns that they may have with you when you go in. Congrats and good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi, You really need to talk to your Dr. and ask what kind of incision your uterus had. Even when you have a classic incision on the outside, most of the time they still do a verticle incision inside. This is the most important thing. As long as that is what they did, your uterus should be fine. Talk to your Dr, though, and take it easy, and...............Congrats!

I have had 3 c sections, about 3 to 4 years apart, always cut open in the same place, never a problem. Yours are close, but bodies are amazing machines :) you may even be able to go natural again..

A friend of mine just gave birth to her second baby after a similar experience. She gave birth via c-section to her first then found out she was pregnant 6 months later. Both her and the baby are fine. I don't think you'll be able to do a VBAC but you should have a perfectly healthy baby

I didn't have a c-section, but I wanted to tell you this: You ARE pregnant! If the test says you are, you are. The failure rate on those is false negatives (saying you're not, when you are), not false positives. I had 2 kids and was done. When they were 10 and 7, I took a test and it was positive. I called the doctor in a panic and asked if they'd give me a test to confirm and they said nope - if the test is positive - you're pregnant and schedule my first prenatal appoitment! I almost fainted. But it all worked out and she's 6 now, and spoiled by her older siblings! It's odd having a 10 year spread sometimes - I've got a Junior in HS, an 8th grader in JrHS and a first grader! LOL ;)

I don't know if this will help you any, but my two girls were born exactly two years and one week apart. They were both c-sections. I never had a problem with any births.

J.

Hi C.,

My son was born via c-section because I was not able to progress beyond 6 centimeters. 14-months later, I gave birth to my beautiful daughter via c-section as well. Most doctors will refuse to do VBACs because of liability reason but, given the short time between both births, I wasn't willing to test the limits of my body and put my daughter's life at risk. Everything went well with the 2nd pregnancy. The only think I have to complain about is that I still haven't gotten my stomach back but I think that's my own d*mn fault ;-)

general recommendation is 13 months between birth andnext pregnancy even when it isn't a pregnancy. But as the women below testified it doesn't mean you can't have a healthy baby or healthy pregnancy. But it is the guideline for truly being out of the woods of the uterus healing.

C.,

I think you will be just fine. My boys are 15 months apart, which means that I was pregnant 6 months after giving birth to my first son. I had a c-section with both of my boys and everything was just fine. In fact my second pregnancy was better than the first and I healed quicker the second time. Hope this helps!! Good luck!!

S.

I had my daughter by emergency c-section in 11/05(bikini scar) and surprise 6 months later we were preg again-my son was born healthy and happy by c-section 2/08 with no problems or complications and I had a normal pregnancy. It was sooner than we expected and what the Dr rec, but things happen for a reason and all was well. Hope all is well with you. L.:)

My sis-in-law had her baby Oct of 2008 and then woopsie, she is due with her son Nov of 2009. She had a c-section and while her Dr was a little upset said that everything should be fine although she will have to have another c-section this time around as well. So you should be ok :) Good luck and congrats!

My son was born via Emergency c-section in July 2006 (8 weeks early), and if I remember correctly my doc said I need to wait a minimum of six months to try to get pregnant again. I think you're out of the woods!

Congrats and good luck!!!

fyi-you cannot get a false positive home pregnancy test, only false negatives.

Never heard of a false positive result in a home pregnancy test before. You must have unusual hormones! There is no need to worry, your doctor will make sure all is well, and your uterus can handle it. Congratulations!

Dear C.,
I had an emergency c-section with my first son and have the horizontal scar. A few months later, we were pregnant with our second son. Totally unplanned but it happened. My pregnancy progressed normally. I was about 2 1/2 months out before we got pregnant with our second son so few people can cut it that close. Everything went well until week 32, we were vacationing in Flagstaff and our son decided to come early. The placenta had ruptured and I was bleeding internally. Everything went well and our son went home after a month in the special care nursery. I did end up with placenta previa which is when the placenta imbeds itself in the uterus. This is possible with women who have previous c-section although not that common. My second son was delivered VBAC which was not the protocol in Flagstaff but my son came out before the anesthesiologist could reach me. My understanding with VBAC is that it is best to do with women who have the horizontal and not vertical scar. It is also up to your OB and the hospital as to whether they will offer you VBAC. I think your uterus will be fine and should be healed. It will take a while for your baby to need extra room anyway. Just take it easy and congratulations! Since my second son came 2 mos. early, my sons are 9 mos apart, so I think you should be fine.

M.

It is not entirely the same thing, but ... my sister-in-law had fibroids removed from her uterus in early September. She was told she had to wait at least until November to start trying to get pregnant. I know it is a different kind of surgery, but it still involves the uterus and its healing process. I would think it should be fine, but ask you doctor when you get your appointment.

I hope it all goes well!

I had my third c-section 12 months and 4 days after the second. Being so close together I was pretty terrified as well. The docs reassured me that everything would be fine as long as the uterus did not contract too much or too strong. I went into labor at 36 weeks and had to have a c-section right away to avoid rupture. Everything went well during the surgery...just had a little more pain than the previous during the recovery. Let me know if you have any questions.

B.

HI C.,
I had a C-section Feb 2008 as well, and now I am 25 weeks pregnant again! Although my first C-section was not an emergency, and I have the horizontal scar, I did have a major fibroid surgery just three months prior. My doctor said there is no cause for concern, but to count on having to have another C-section to prevent the possibility of uterine rupture. The only symptom I have had, was in the beginning of the pregnancy, when the uterus was starting to expand, I felt a searing pain, then a sort of warm numbness- then it was gone. My doctor said this was most likely scar adhesions breaking up. I had no other complications. I hope you too will have a good pregnancy- if you are indeed pregnant!
S.

i had three c-sections.....all of them with the vertical cut....i don't think it was a good idea, but what's a mom to do? lol...i was 32 with my youngest. so my age, two previous c- sections, and the fact that i had a cone byopsy in my mid twenties put me at high risk....i don't know how long it takes for your uterus to heal, so your ob/gyn would be the one to ask....at the very worst, you could spend a few months in bed letting that wonderful man take care of you!!!!!.....take exrta good care of yourself.....