Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Fibroids, Painful Pregnancy and Birth Trauma

Being diagnosed with fibroids is scary enough, but when you are in the middle of trying to start a family or add new babies to your family it can be traumatic to be dealing with the unknowns, things that we see members here worry about week in and week out. Questions like, "was my miscarriage related to my fibroids?", "do I really need to have surgery" (oftentimes the first major medical experience we have in our lives), and "will I be able to have children with fibroids or after a myomectomy?" Additionally, there are complictions that arise during pregnancies such as extreme pain from fibroid degeneration, massive fibroid growth, etc. that can also be painful and confusing.

Regardless of if you conceive with your tumors in place or if you have had a myomectomy, childbirth might not be a straight shot vaginal delivery for many women with fibroids (and since 1 in 4 women in the US deliver via c-section today anyway, it isn't a given for anyone really).

I've personally found the whole experience to be a bit frustrating and disappointing and I'm still trying to conceive my first child. Now that I've had my fibroid out and I've been told I need to deliver all future pregnancies via c-section I find that frustration is building once again and I needed more info. I started researching more about the topic of c-section delivery and traumatic birth experiences (as well as uterine rupture risks -- which I will post separately about). I was also prompted in part by a online friend sharing her story of a traumatic pregnancy with degenerating fibroids -- she can't be the only one who has been left feeling deeply upset by her painful pregnancy with fibroids.

Below are a range of sites of organizations, research and counselors
focused on treating and understanding traumatic birth and postpartum
depression.

Traumatic Birth Experience

Victorious Birth - Cesarian and Traumatic Birth Support

Postpartum Depression and Maternal Birth Trauma

Depression After Delivery, Inc.

Birthing and the development of trauma symptoms: Incidence and contributing factors (Kreedy)
(there are links to the full study at the bottom of the page)

Birth Crisis Network (UK)
(Scroll down to the bottom of the page to links to more info)

Counseling for Reproductive Health and Healing - Deborah Issokson, Psy.D.
(She's in the Boston area, but does speaking engagements)

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