Cesarean Section Delivery

More than 20 percent of babies born in the United States are delivered by cesarean section, also called a c-section. A c-section is the surgical, rather than vaginal delivery of a baby through incisions made in the abdomen and uterus. Like home births, c-sections also have cons such as being more expensive and painful and requiring more recovery time. Despite these drawbacks, however, c-sections are now considered routine procedures with minimal risks to the mother and child.

Most Common Reasons for Cesarean Deliveries

While you are outlining a birth plan for your baby, you should know c-sections may be planned and unplanned. Common reasons doctors choose a c-section for their patients include, but are not limited to:

• Physical challenges that confront vaginal delivery: the baby's position (breech), the mother's abnormal pelvic structure, or the baby's exceptionally large head making it difficult to exit the birth canal.
• Maternal health issues, including preeclampsia (high blood pressure), genital herpes outbreak, or if the mother is HIV-positive with a high viral load that could potentially be transferred to the child.
• A prolapsed cord which slips through the cervix and cuts off the baby's oxygen supply.
• Dystocia; a catch-all term, referring to any hardships during birth such as failure to progress due to a slowed or stopped dilation of the cervix.
• Placenta previa which occurs when the placenta partially or fully blocks the cervix because it lies low in the uterus.
• Multiple births.

Some women elect to have a cesarean delivery because of a prior, and more difficult vaginal delivery, concern about fetal brain damage, or trauma to the pelvic floor. Some experts are pleased that women are now empowered with the right to research and request a c-section, claiming the risks are minimal for a low-risk patient. Although c-sections may spare laboring mothers from episiotomies, prolonged labor, and instrumental delivery - there are risks associated with every c-section.

Risks Associated With Cesarean Deliveries

In order to be prepared for every possible situation, you should understand fully the potential risks hazardous to both yourself and your baby. While the probability is low, increased blood loss and maternal mortality are more common with cesarean deliveries. C-sections may also result in an infection near the incision site, injured organs, or cause negative emotional reactions after the delivery. Dangers to your child might include: premature birth if the conception date was miscalculated, low APGAR , and depressed activity from exposure to the anesthesia.

What to Expect

On your day of delivery, the doctor will ask you to sign a consent form which permits him or her to conduct the c-section. Two techniques are most widely used today and include a low transverse incision or the classic c-section.

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