Knowing about C-section

A C-section, or a cesarean section, is the surgical method of giving birth wherein the delivery takes place when the mother’s lower abdomen and uterus are operated upon. Mostly, it is done to avoid the emergency complications, but sometimes it is planned too. Since it is a major abdominal surgery, it takes longer to recover from it than compared to the normal vaginal birth. Also comparatively, there is more postpartum pain and risk of infections. If a woman has a number of deliveries by C-section, she is prone to placenta previa and placenta accreta. However, it must mot be avoided when it is required for the well being of the mother and the baby.

Planned C-section

Sometimes, it is essential for the mother to have a C-section before she goes into labor. The following situations may be some of them:

• If you had more than one C-section birth earlier or you had a previous one with a classic vertical uterine incision.
• You had another kind of invasive uterine surgery previously, such as myomectomy.
• You are carrying twins or multiples (twins can sometimes be born by vaginal birth but multiples require a C-section).
• Your baby is expected to be very large (known as macrosomia).
• Your baby is in a breech (upside down) or transverse (sideways) position.
• You have placenta previa (a condition when the uterus is so low down that is covers the cervix).
• The birth complications are such that a vaginal birth can be risky.
• You are HIV-positive (you have a high viral load).

In such cases your doctor would have, of course, told you about a planned C-section in advance.

Unplanned C-section

An unplanned C-section is required when there is an emergency situation in which having a normal vaginal birth becomes a very risky business. Some of these situations include:

• The cervix stops dilating or the baby is not moving down the birth canal in spite of all possible attempts.
• The doctor believes that your baby’s heart rate isn’t strong enough to survive a vaginal birth or induced labor.
• The umbilical cord slips through your cervix. This denies your baby enough oxygen supply.
• There is a situation of placenta abruption (the placenta gets separate from the uterus, cutting of the baby’s oxygen supply).
• You have a genital herpes during labor or when your water breaks (to protect the baby from infection).

You do not need to panic if you find yourself going through a C-section. Many women go through it to have successful deliveries. And it can’t be avoided when it is necessary to save the lives of both the mother and the baby.

Related posts:

1. Some interventions that could ease the Process of Labor – C-Section
2. What scares the expecting mothers during childbirth? – Part 2
3. Facts about Prematurity
4. Do you have a Preterm Labor?
5. Signs of Labor
6. What Scares the Expecting Mothers During Childbirth? – Part 1
7. An Overview on Labor Induction
8. The Real Picture of Due Dates
9. Risks Associated with Inducing Labor
10. Important Facts about Labor Inductions