by Christine Coppa, APR 07, 2021
“At this point, a partner is permitted to enter the OR, and the surgeon is given a scalpel to make a horizontal incision (in most cases) on the lower abdomen,” double board-certified OBGYN and maternal-fetal medicine doctor Kecia Gaither says. To me, this felt weird, like my bikini line was being slowly unzipped, but it didn’t hurt. “The fascia (connective tissue) and musculature (the muscles in the abdominal wall) are divided to expose the peritoneal cavity,” Dr. Gaither says. “Next, the surgeon will enter the peritoneal cavity with their hands to visualize the uterus. A bladder blade (a surgical instrument used to protect the bladder during an operative delivery) is placed on the bladder.” At this point, I felt a mix of intense pressure (not pain) on my chest, excitement, fear, anxiety, and joy. I heard the clanking of instruments, and the nurse kept telling me I was doing fine. I was crying on a hormonal roller coaster.
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