Hypotension following spinal anaesthesia for caesarean birth occurs frequently. When it occurs, the mother may feel faint or nauseous and may vomit. If her blood pressure falls excessively, the mother runs serious risks (such as loss of consciousness), as does the baby (such as lack of oxygen and brain damage).
Open communication with the healthcare provider also helps to be prepared for all the things that may happen in delivery. Eating a snack, staying hydrated, and taking a seat when needed can help prevent fainting episodes.
Fainting during labor is extremely rare. Nature created the female body in such a way that it mobilizes all its forces when giving birth to a baby. Passing out is not a typical reaction of a woman's body to childbirth. If you are prone to fainting, you should inform the doctor in advance.
A significant drop in blood pressure during caesarean section may jeopardise both the mother and the child, and it is important to implement steps to maintain optimal circulatory stability during surgery.
Most C-sections are done under regional anesthesia, which numbs only the lower part of your body. This allows you to be awake during the procedure. Common choices include a spinal block and an epidural block.
Under most circumstances, undergoing a c-section via Spinal Anesthesia or Epidural Anesthesia (rather than General Anesthesia) is preferred since it involves less risk and has the advantage of allowing you to be awake during your baby's birth.
For a planned C-section, you may have a choice of anesthetic, although you should be aware that a spinal block or epidural are generally considered the safest options for both you and your baby. In an emergency or when bleeding occurs, general anesthesia may be necessary.
During CS delivery, the average blood loss is about 500 ml,2 although it varies from below 500 ml to above 1000 ml. Although obstetric hemorrhage as a cause of maternal morbidity and mortality is rising, it is potentially preventable.
You might have some bleeding for up to 6 weeks. Check with your doctor, nurse or midwife if the bleeding gets heavier rather than lighter, you have a sudden heavy blood loss or large clots after the first few days, the blood smells bad, your uterus feels tender or sore, or you're still bleeding after 6 weeks.
Low blood pressure.
“One of the short-term risks of an epidural is low blood pressure, which can make a woman feel faint,” Manglani says.
Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is severe vaginal bleeding after childbirth. It's a serious condition that can lead to death. Other signs of postpartum hemorrhage are dizziness, feeling faint and blurred vision. PPH can occur after delivery or up to 12 weeks postpartum.
Our general rule is to sleep as long as possible if you're starting to feel contractions at night. Most of the time you can lay down and rest during early labor. If you wake up in the middle of the night and notice contractions, get up and use the bathroom, drink some water, and GO BACK TO BED.
Dizziness can occur immediately following delivery due to fatigue, blood loss and from lying down for a prolonged period of time - a lot of women will feel quite dizzy getting up for the first time, especially after a caesarean section.
Dad's chief role during the delivery will be to hold your hand and provide comfort. He should use a calm, low voice to reassure you that everything's going well. After the surgery, you may be shaky or weepy. These are normal reactions, according to the American Pregnancy Association, but they may seem frightening.
The overall risk of blood transfusion in cesarean delivery is high. Parturients with second stage Caesarean section, placenta previa, abruptio placentae and preoperative maternal anaemia have an increased risk of blood transfusion.
The first period after C-section might last longer than usual because of the hormonal changes that the body has gone through. The bleeding can last for 10 days depending on the individual. If it doesn't stop even after 12 days, you must convey your condition to your gynaecologist.
Cesarean section also requires a longer recovery time, and operative complications such as lacerations and bleeding may occur, at rates varying from 6% for elective cesarean to 15% for emergency cesarean.
Occasionally, a week or two after your bleeding seems to have stopped, you may have a sudden gush of bright red blood. This is the normal process of the placental site scab coming off. This too will taper off over a few days.
With planned C-sections, a spinal block is most commonly used. If you already have an epidural in place, we may inject stronger medication through the tube to fully numb your lower body to prepare you for a C-section.
The biggest difference between spinal blocks vs epidurals is their amount of pain relief: spinal blocks provide total pain relief, while epidurals provide partial pain relief. The reason for this difference is that the former is an anesthetic, while the latter is an analgesic—no sensation versus no pain.
You can say no to any medical procedure that a doctor or any other medical professional deems you should have. If a doctor advises you to have a c-section, you can say no and not have the procedure if that is your wish.
At first you may be asked to only eat ice chips or take sips of water, at least until your provider is certain you are not likely to have very heavy bleeding. Most likely, you will be able to eat a light diet 8 hours after your C-section.