C-Section refers to cesarean delivery which is childbirth via surgical operation, involving the incision (cutting) of a woman’s uterus (womb) and abdominal wall (belly) in order to take the baby out.
Benefits of C-section Delivery
a) Life saving: When complications occur during delivery that threaten either the mother or baby’s life, a c-section delivery becomes an emergency life saving solution. Although, before labor or during antenatal, a mother can be informed about c-section because some complications(rarely) might inevitably occur which include;
1. Breech position: The baby’s feet or bottom entering the birth canal first instead of the head.
2. Traverse position: Here, the placenta(organ that nourishes the baby) has problems and this causes bleeding during labor delivery.
3. Fetal distress: Here the baby has problems like slow heart rate, indicating that it is under stress.
4. Collapse of the Umbilical cord: The baby’s umbilical cord slips into the vagina where it could either be flattened or squeezed during vaginal delivery.
5. Prior uterial surgery: Prior surgery on the uterus could cause complication.
6. The mother is too young or the baby is too big to safely pass through the vagina.
b) Safety: There is advancement in medical science with more skilled surgeons, as c-section is getting more popular, which significantly lowers the risks associated with a major abdominal surgery like c-section.
c) No labor pain: Although, admittedly, there is pain in abdominal surgery, it is little compared to the real pain of vaginal birth. Also, c-section delivery has an edge such that there is prior knowledge of the amount of pain to be expected unlike in vaginal childbirth.
d) Time saving: A c-section delivery doesn’t take time and there is more privacy and dignity for the woman as she is not kept in a non-flattering position (as synonymous with vaginal birth) for long with nurses and doctors everywhere.
Complications of c-section delivery
C-section delivery has higher complications compared to natural labor delivery even though it is considered to be relatively safe.The complications in c-section delivery can be identified with the mother and baby. For the mother, c-section complications include:
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Delay in recovery: Recovery from a c-section delivery takes longer than it would be for natural labor delivery. Normally, without complications, a woman spends up to 3 days in the hospital as opposed to the 2 days a normal labor delivery will take. Complete recovery for a woman after labor delivery takes 2 weeks, complete recovery for a c-section delivery is 4 to 6 weeks.
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Higher long term risk: There is threat of the possibility of long term risk like Uterine rupture.This happens when as a result of the uterine cesarean scar, a breakage occurs during later pregnancy or labor which is problematic for the woman.
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Ilieus: This is intestinal obstruction which causes vomiting,constipation and can prevent the intestines from moving waste material normally.
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Infection: Women who have c-section delivery have a higher risk of infection at the site of the incision.
Complications for Baby
Premature birth: It can occur if the mother is off by a week or 2 which makes a difference in the health of the baby.This should be considered in c-section schedule.
Late preterm birth: Late preterm is the period between 34 and 36 weeks gestation and c-section might contribute to babies being born preterm that results in health problems for the baby
In all, a mother should consider the risks and benefit of a c-section for herself and the baby when making a choice of childbirth methods.