hey girls
I'm not pregnant, but i want to have children in the future. just wondering if anybody knows if i will automatically have a caesarian if i've had a hip replacement? hopefully i will have had the new hip for a couple of years before we even get to the baby planning but i like to know these things (tbh i'm too posh to push and i think the hip could be a great excuse!)

Right - i'm off to log off before my boyfriend sees that i'm on a pregnancy forum and starts hyperventillating!

Laura

Hi Laura

I feel inclined to say "yes" although appreciating what Jenni has said! I haven't had a hip replacement but I know the pressure my hips came under in the last few months of pregnancy with my last baby. Baby and fluid can weigh very heavy and this is all extra pressure on the already suffering RA joints, not just hips but knees, ankles and feet! I would be inclined to ask the advice of the surgeon who does the hip replacement. He should know what prosthetic hip joints are able to withstand.

I had a C-Section when the twins were born, more to do with the fact that one was upside down and presenting a leg first. However my last two pregnancies were closely monitored for joint deterioration due to the added weight I was carrying and change of drug regime.

To be honest I wouldn't regard C-Section as an easy option at all. The problem of wound healing can be a big issue and the risk of infection may be increased substantially. I had two normal births and one C-Section, the latter being the absolute worst of the three. As much as labour can be tough ... but, look at the reward at the end of it!

Lyn x