Fact. My sister and many other military wives gave birth to their first child through C section because of complications. Many were convinced to have their second child vaginally. Low and behold the military has a large number of these women who did this and their children came out with brain damage because of complications during the delivery. Once they are in the birth canal it is too late to do a C section. Now who do you think is paying for a lifetime of therapy, education, and support for these kids. Big savings there. And it is not just government who tries to save a buck on birth. A few years ago they tried a mandatory 24 hours and out for normal deliveries until babies and moms started ending up in the hospital or dying. This is why our infant death rate is pretty high compared to other industrialized countries. Its insurance companies and many of those people have their asses where their heads should be.

My story: My first PSA blood test was at age 55 and came back at 5.1. I was referred to a urologest who repeated the test with the same results. I agreed to a biopsy and the results were negative. He monitored me every year with a PSA test and the level stayed constant at about 5 to 6 for about 5 years. At age 60, my PSA was measured at 7.5 and I had another biopsy which again was negative. My Uro told me at that time that he was fairly sure that I had prostate Ca but could not treat me until it has been confirmed by biopsy. At age 70 my PSA jumped to 8.5 and after a third biopsy, prostate Ca was detected and staged at T1c. After taking a few deep breaths and studying my options for a few months, I decided not to have the gland removed and opted for radiation. That was two years ago and my PSA has steadly gone down and is now .1. The Uro feels that it will eventually become un-detectasble. Side effects to date have been very minor and everything (yes, everything) is in good working order at age 72. As a retired firefighter, I have tried to keep myself in good physical shape. I go to the gym 3 days a week and can still bench press 200 lbs.

My Uro feels that every man will develope prostate Ca. Most will be of the slow growing type and that most men will die WITH, but not OF the desease.

My advise: Dont ignore the fact that you may have "the beast" especially if you have or had, a close relative with it. If you are diagnosed with it, DONT PANIC. Take the time to study your treatment options. Investigate the pros & cons of each. There are numerous very fine sites here on the web that you can gain much valuable info from. Dont be afraid to seek a second opinion from other doctors. Keep in mind that if the Uro is a surgeon, he will most likley recommend surgery. If he is a radiology specialist, he will most likley, recommend radiation treatments. INVESTIGATE all your treatment options and learn the various side effects to each.

One of my options is called "watchfull waiting". I decided against that even though my Pca was deemed to be low grade. I figured that if I had it, I had it and I wanted to fight "the beast" ASAP. I felt that by starting treatment, I was giving myself an important gift. TIME. Medical science is descovering new treratments and cures for all types of cancer. Who knows what will be discovered next year, next month, next week or tomorrow?

Prostate Ca used to be considered an "old man's" desease but with the advent of PSA blood testing, they are finding it in younger men. If you have or had a close blood relative with prostate Ca, please consider beginning screening at a younger age. My son (age 42) is being screened...

Just my 2 cents worth.....................................................................................................................................

Many Obstetricians do not like performing a vaginal birth after a C-section or (VBAC) because of serious risks to the mother and baby. My two oldest children are a set of twins. One of them was breech so I didn't have a choice but to get a C-section. My other two children were natural deliveries. With my younger children, I had to sign a waiver stating that I could not sue the doctor if something went wrong with the deliveries. I was warned that once a woman has a C-section, the uterus has the potential of ripping open during labor with VBACs (due to that muscle being previously cut which weakens it). This could mean potential death to the mother and baby because the mother could bleed to death and the baby could suffocate. I had a good doctor that had performed many deliveries and assured me that the chances of complications with VBACs are low. I am also in good health and was a good candidate for each procedure. As the article stated above, every woman's circumstance is different.

Bruce Flamm, MD. "Birth After Cesarean." It is absolutely an option!! I did it, and any woman who wants to do it should make that choice for herself instead of being bullied, guilted, etc. by other women and the ACOG.

How interesting that they don't mention the mother's four times higher chance of dying from a RCS than a VBAC. Or the increases risk to future pregnancies such as ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, placenta accretia, placenta previa. Or the risks to her health in having to have corrective surgery, issues with her bladder from a weakened abdominal muscles or increased risk of hystercotomy. This is the most absurd article I have ever read!