GROSVENOR GARDENS HEALTHCARE
PATIENT INFORMATION CENTRE
Welcome to Grosvenor Gardens Healthcare Patient Information Centre
We are dedicated to provide our patients with most up to date and evidence-based information to help them to make their informed decision about their health.
We would like to explain you more about mode of delivery in general and advantages and disadvantages of Private Birth in London and in the UK.
Mode of delivery
Mode of delivery will be your choice after understanding the risks and benefits of having vaginal and caesarean delivery.
Although vaginal delivery is known as natural delivery, this doesn’t mean that it has no risks to you and your baby. If vaginal birth is not managed well, this may lead to serious complications.
Each patient is unique however when women chose to have a natural birth, statistics shows one third of them will have uncomplicated vaginal delivery, one third of them will need to be delivered by instrumental delivery and one third of them will need to be delivered by caesarean section.
Vaginal Birth
FORCEPS DELIVERY
Kiwi Delivery
Caesarean Delivery
Induction of Labour
The risks associated with vaginal (natural) birth
Fetal hypoxia; if placental reserve is not good enough with the uterine contractions, less oxygenated blood goes to the baby which may lead to serious complications such as cerebral palsy- if any concerns raised during antenatal period or during labour, it is essential that your baby is monitored continuously in labour and perhaps delivery is facilitated with instrumental delivery (if you are fully dilated in labour) or with emergency caesarean if delivery is not imminent. However, if the delivery is delayed and the decisions are not made timely this may lead to serious complications with the babies which may have life long impact.
Risk of shoulder dystocia; This is a serious delivery complication more common if pregnancy is affected with gestational diabetes and/or large babies. However, shoulder dystocia can happen even if the babies are normal size and to women without gestational diabetes.
The risks associated with elective caesarean
Recovery; if the caesarean is uncomplicated, generally the recovery is quick and many patients will be mobile the next day and generally discharge from hospital is next day or after two days stay.
Damage to surrounding organs such as bladder, bowel, ureters, blood vessels; These risks are very rare however if you had previous abdominal surgeries or caesareans this complication can be higher. If this is diagnosed during your caesarean the damage should be repaired by the relevant surgical specialty.
Adherent placenta; if you had previous uterine surgery including previous caesarean delivery the risk of adherent placenta increases. It is possible to diagnose this condition antenatally and if diagnosed your caesarean should be performed by a senior obstetrician due to the risk of increased bleeding associated with adherent placenta which may rarely need hysterectomy procedure to be performed.
Private Birth
Obstetrics is a wonderful specialty and taking part with delivery of your baby is priceless for your private obstetrician. However, obstetrics pregnancy is well known as high-risk specialty, some due to the above risks and complications. If the decisions are not made timely, the results can be devastating for the couple and the baby. Having one to one care with a senior obstetrician significantly improves the outcome and helps decisions to be made timely to reduce the risks of complications happening.
Also having one to one care during antenatal period will allow you and your obstetrician to build up a special relationship which will definitely help you to be more confident and well-informed during pregnancy and delivery of your baby.
High medical indemnity fees associated with private obstetrics practice in the UK makes it a costly service therefore unfortunately it is not available to all women.
If you would like to learn more about our Private Obstetrics Services, please contact us for further information.