Over the years, a myriad of things have been linked to the increased rate of cesarean sections. There are a lot of reasons doctors will use go the C-section route, including in cases of prolonged labor, fetal distress, or other delivery complications that could threaten the health of mother and child. Other times, it has to do with the size of a mother's pelvis, or placenta issues, or the baby's positioning.
While most of us recognize that C-sections can save lives, others are concerned that there are too many women having them and even question the motives behind the surgery. Many have argued that the uptick in C-sections often has to do with doctors jumping into surgery too hastily, because they're more "convenient" scheduling-wise. Others have accused moms of being "too posh to push." But among the many (many) arguments of why C-sections are on the rise, we can guarantee you've never heard this one: Mom has a "fat" vagina.
More from CafeMom: 20 Things Moms Wish They Knew Before They Had a C-Section
If that news just caused you to spit out your coffee ... SAME.
The outlandish claim, which might be the FASTEST way to tick a woman off, if you were looking for one, was made by Dr. Marco Gaudoin, medical director at the Glasgow Centre for Reproductive Medicine in Scotland.
While appearing on BBC Radio Scotland, he weighed in on why he thought more women aren't giving birth "naturally" these days, and said he feels strongly it's closely linked to the rising obesity rates.
"With obesity, you've [got] increased fat tissue in the birth canal, which makes the birth canal that much narrower, which makes it harder for the baby to squeeze through," he explained. "So you are more likely to end up with what is called an 'obstructed labor.'"
News of the claim has been making the rounds in the UK and even here in the US, where people have responded with a unanimous "WTF?"
In an article in the UK newspaper The Sun, digital health and fitness reporter Lucy Jones called it a "fat load of rubbish."
Commenters on the article were equally horrified, and called BS on it pretty quickly.
"I'm skinny and had to have an emergency C-section as I went into labour just over three weeks early and my son was extended breach," one woman noted. "C-sections are mainly carried out for health reasons."
"A fat va jay jay?" another man commented. "Not sure where that load of rubbish came from because I've seen a few but never considered one 'fat' by a long shot."
To be fair, the doctor wasn't exactly talking about chubby vagina lips (though it's hard not to immediately picture oversized labia majora the second you hear the words "fat vagina") but still.
More from CafeMom: C-Section Moms Are Pulling Their Babies Out of Their Own Wombs in New Trend
So is there actually any truth to the bizarre claim? At least two experts interviewed on the subject say N-O-P-E.
Evidence to support Gaudoin's theory is basically nonexistent, though there have been some links between obesity and C-section rates.
A 2016 study found that babies born by cesarean are more likely to be obese as adults, and higher weights in pregnant mothers have been linked to higher C-section rates.
But as for the "fat vagina" thing, Dr. Virginia Beckett, a spokeswoman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists who spoke with The Sun, the whole thing is hogwash.
"[Obstructed labor] occurs because of the position of the baby in the birth canal or a mismatch in the size of the birth canal and the size of the baby," she explained, adding that there might be a tie to weight in some cases. "Women who are overweight are more likely to have overweight babies, often because of pregnancy-related diabetes," she added.
As a result, she reported that "larger babies may not rotate as easily in the birth canal, so that assistance is required to safely deliver the baby."
This may lead to a C-section to "help reduce risk of harmful complications and lead to the safe delivery of a baby."
However, she said she is "keen to refute any suggestion which makes women concerned about the appearance of their vagina."
Milli Hill, author of How To Give Birth Like a Feminist, agreed.
"This is yet another example of how the words of a doctor who has been positioned by the media as the 'expert' in the conversation can be taken as fact and not even questioned," Hill told Grazia. "In reality there is absolutely ZERO evidence that I am aware of to support the notion that women's vaginas can be 'fat', or that, even if they are, that this can obstruct the progress of a baby."
Instead, Hill feels that this is just the latest example "of the woman-blaming culture that can unfortunately be found in the medical profession."
"Rather than asking, 'What could we be doing differently to facilitate easier births for women?' too often the explanation given for difficult or traumatic births is left at the door of women," she continued. "We are too old, we are too fat, and our expectations are too high."
For now, at least, it seems Gaudoin's claims can be taken with a grain of salt, since they're not supported by any major medical study. And if you've given birth via C-section before, take heart in knowing that your vagina is just fine. Lovely, even. B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L.
