The more C-sections, the higher the risks of placenta previa and a condition in which the placenta becomes attached to the wall of the uterus (placenta accreta). A C-section also increases the risk of the uterus tearing along the scar line (uterine rupture) for women who attempt a vaginal delivery in a later pregnancy.
There are far fewer risks to your baby during a C-section. Babies delivered by cesarean are more likely to develop breathing issues, though, especially if your C-section is performed before 39 weeks. That's because labor helps clear your baby's lungs of fluid.
Although being afraid of childbirth is natural and understandable, it is important to know that a C-section can be painful and have many risks. Overall, vaginal birth requires less recovery time, has fewer risks, and a shorter hospital stay. This makes it the ideal choice for a healthy pregnancy.
Which is safer: vaginal birth or C-section? Vaginal birth is much safer than a C-section for most women and babies. Sometimes a C-section is the only safe option, like when the baby is positioned side-to-side in the belly (transverse lie) or the placenta is covering the cervix (placenta previa).
A caesarean section is generally a very safe procedure, but like any type of surgery it does carry a risk of complications. The level of risk will depend on things such as whether the procedure is planned or carried out as an emergency, and your general health.
In some situations, a C-section is not only preferable but mandatory—situations involving conditions like placenta previa, in which going into labor would precipitate life-threatening hemorrhaging, or cord prolapse, which can cause the death of a baby if a C-section is not performed in a manner of minutes.
A new study shows that a C-section can lead to complications should you find yourself back on the operation table later in life. Surgical complications cover a range of things that can go wrong during an operation. For example, damage to organs, infection, the need to re-operate, or bleeding during the operation.
A caesarean section is an operation to give birth to your baby. Caesarean section surgery usually takes 30-60 minutes, although the entire process takes a few hours. There'll be many people in the operating theatre with you.
A vaginal birth is usually the safest way for your baby to be born. But even if you're planning a vaginal birth, it's good to find out about giving birth via caesarean. You might need a planned caesarean because of health problems or pregnancy complications like placenta praevia.
However, from the current medical evidence, most medical authorities do state that if multiple C-sections are planned, the expert recommendation is to adhere to the maximum number of three.”
C-section babies don't come through the birth canal, so they have an edge in the looks department. Their heads come out nice and round because they don't get squeezed, and their faces don't get swollen like many babies delivered vaginally.
They add: “Cesarean delivery is associated with future subfertility and several subsequent pregnancy risks such as placenta previa, uterine rupture, and stillbirth.”
Vaginal delivery
It's the most preferred and most common way to deliver a baby because it carries the lowest risk (in most cases). A vaginal delivery occurs most often between weeks 37 and 42 of pregnancy. A vaginal delivery has three stages: labor, birth and delivering the placenta.
Babies born vaginally are thought to have an edge over those born via cesarean section. They pick up bacteria from their mother's birth canal, which scientists believe helps protect them from asthma, obesity, and other health issues as they grow older.
However, recovery from a cesarean delivery is generally more painful. “[It] is a lot more painful, longer, and often more difficult than recovery from a vaginal birth because it is a major abdominal surgery,” Teen explains.
Compared to babies born vaginally, babies born by cesarean are at risk for health complications they are less likely to face with a normal birth. Especially if the mother did not labor, babies are more likely to have difficulty breathing on their own.
Babies born too early may have more health problems at birth and later in life than babies born later. Being pregnant 39 weeks gives your baby's body all the time it needs to develop. Your baby needs 39 weeks in the womb because: Important organs, like your baby's brain, lungs and liver, need time to develop.
Most babies born between 37 and 40 weeks weigh somewhere between 5 pounds, 8 ounces (2,500 grams) and 8 pounds, 13 ounces (4,000 grams). Newborns who are lighter or heavier than the average baby are usually fine.
Babies who are born after 34 weeks gestation have the same long-term health outcomes as babies who are delivered at full term (40 weeks). This means that if your baby is born when they are 34 weeks old, they have the same chances of being healthy as any other baby that wasn't born prematurely.
“It's recommended that you get up and walk around,” says Dr. Higgins. “We don't want someone lying in bed for two weeks.”
Item 16519 covers birth by any means including Caesarean section. If, however, a patient is referred, or her care is transferred to another medical practitioner for the specific purpose of birth by Caesarean section, whether because of an emergency situation or otherwise, then Item 16520 would be the appropriate item.
1 day later: You'll be encouraged to walk around within the first 12 hours after delivery to help relieve gas buildup in the abdomen, and to eat something light as soon as you feel able.
We know that every patient has a different labor and delivery experience, but in general, it takes around six weeks to completely heal from your C-section.
After your C-section, you might look like you're still pregnant. This is normal. Most women lose 13 pounds (6 kilograms) during birth, including the weight of the baby, placenta and amniotic fluid. During your recovery, you'll drop more weight as your body gets rid of excess fluids.
Some women do experience symptoms related to their C-section scar long after the operation. Some women feel pain, restriction, or a pulling sensation on or around their scar months or even years after surgery. This is normally due to the build-up of scar tissue which can stick to muscles or even organs and cause pain.