# Does a fever= mandatory c-section?



## a(TM)?Star (Oct 13, 2005)

My friend delivered yesterday. She had a previous c-section with her son, anmd was hoping for VBAC. She had a fever, so they did an emergency c-section, and put the baby in the NICU, because he had a fever, too. What is the reasoning for this?


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## chandasz (Apr 13, 2005)

Fever=infection

Fevers will usually prompt an immediate c-section due to the risk of sepsis for the newborn.

I'm so sorry for her disappointment. My guess is that they have also done a major workup on the baby to rule out infection.

Did she have an epidural? They can also cause fevers...


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## steelcitysistah (Mar 31, 2005)

My midwife allowed me to deliver my son with a low grade fever (I did have an epidural) - but they admitted him directly to the NICU when they found he had a fever too.

I'm sure they are doing a work up on her babe to rule out any and all types of infection. My poor little guy did end up being sick and spent a week in the hospital until it cleared up.

I do know it's tough - hugs to her. Hopefully they'll be healthy and together at home soon!


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## MeepyCat (Oct 11, 2006)

I delivered vaginally with a fever of 102 (I had an epidural and am GBS-). The baby never had a fever though.

I don't think fever per se rules out vaginal delivery, but not all fevers are the same.


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## cj'smommy (Aug 14, 2003)

With my first I had a low grade fever and I delivered vaginally, I don't know how high it was though. I know they were concerned and keeping an eye on it.


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## 3cuties (Mar 4, 2006)

I had a fever with my first for about the last 12 hours of labor and I delivered vaginally. The OB back up for my midwife was urging a section, but my midwife held off. I don't think it is mandatory -- I was just pumped full of antiobitoics.


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## Kidzaplenty (Jun 17, 2006)

Was her water broke? Because that and a fever can always be a bad sign. But seems to me, her being a VBAC, they just wanted an excuse to section her.


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## purplestraws (Sep 13, 2006)

I had a low-grade fever when the checked it a few minutes into pushing (actually, I just think I was hot...







...but I understand the concern) and I delivered vaginally. And I pushed for about three hours and baby was having heart decels... Nobody ever said anything about a c-section. He didn't have a fever when he was born, and my "fever" went down after having him...however they still pumped me full of antibiotics afterwards...


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## SoCaliMommy (Jun 11, 2004)

I had a slight fever the whole time i was in labor with my daughter*before getting the epidural*, i also had a high WBC, they never figured out why.I had a Vaginal birth.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

hmm....I had a fever when I transferred with Aaron. Nobody mentioned sepsis. They just said that if I needed an emergency section (they weren't telling me to have one at that point, and I was a VBA3C attempt), it would have to be done under general anesthetic, because of the danger of pushing an infection into my spine with a spinal. I wanted a spinal (okay - didn't want a spinal at all - unconsciousness is my friend during a c-section - but I wanted dh to be there), so they suggested giving me a heavy course of antibiotics and waiting to see if the fever came down. _Nobody_ mentioned any possibility of danger to my baby from the fever at all.


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## wombatclay (Sep 4, 2005)

With my first babe my water was broken for more than a day and my care provider was fine with it... and the hospital was also fine. But eventually I started running a fever and that was sort of the final straw (I'd also been "stuck" at 7cm for 19 hrs with serious back labor contractions). I was told that I could either have a c/s then or we could keep going but an increase in the fever/wbc would mean an immediate c/s with my dd1 going to the NICU instead of staying with me in recovery. So I went with the c/s then.

I'm so sorry her birth didn't go the way she hoped, but there are a lot of variables that could be added to a fever (especially if the fever was increasing) that would make the situation more of an emergency than it would seem.


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## BugMacGee (Aug 18, 2006)

Depends. IME, unless baby/mom are showing signs of distress, no reason to not deliver vaginally. I cannot fathom how many vaginal births I've been to where mom had a fever.


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## Qestia (Sep 26, 2005)

I had a slight fever after they gave me the epidural, it came down after the tylenol suppository (yes, I had something in every orifice of my body, okay, except my nose!). But I delivered vaginally just fine, DS had to go be monitored, but it's because he was born at 35 wks.


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## soso-lynn (Dec 11, 2007)

The vast majority of moms I know who had an epidural also had a fever. I know one whose baby also had a fever, but she did not get c-section as labour was going strong. She got that fever after checking in the hospital and being induced, given antibiotics and all because her water had broken. Her labour did not start for over a day and then she was given and epidural and more drugs before getting a fever. Her baby was given some antibiotics and was fine after a few days but he is now 5 and is always taking antibiotics, always getting sick. I dont know if he is just fragile, if that initial exposure to antibiotics (he was not breastfeed either) weakened his immune system or if the mom is just the kind to run to the doctor for every little cold, but it seems weird to me.


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