Risks of Cesarean Section

Most women hope to have a vaginal birth. Many also want to have a natural birth.

Evidence shows that for healthy moms and babies, natural birth is definitely preferred over a birth with interventions.Many women today remain in the dark as to why natural birth is the best for most moms and babies. They're told that interventions do not affect their babies or their bodies, and that cesarean section is just as safe as vaginal birth. These are lies.

 

Cesarean birth is major surgery, and, as with other surgical procedures, risks are involved. The estimated risk of a woman dying after a cesarean birth is less than one in 2,500 (the risk of death after a vaginal birth is less than one in 10,000). These are estimated risks for a large population of women. Individual medical conditions such as some heart problems may make the risk of vaginal birth higher than cesarean birth.

 

Other risks for the mother include the following:

 

• On the most basic, primal level, c-section can be a violation of your body. It is cutting you open. If the reason is not a valid one or not explained to you, you can feel betrayed and violated. The "what if's" may haunt you and you may feel like a failure as a woman.
• With a cesarean rate approaching 30% in the USA, it's troubling to think that so many women are going through surgery that may be unnecessary and emotionally damaging.
• A c-section is also physically damaging. It is a major abdominal surgery. All cesareans involve a wound across the abdomen and the uterus. There is also risk of damage to organs around the uterus, including the possibility of nicking the bowel. Babies can also suffer accidental cuts from cesarean operations.
• There is a higher risk of blot clots following a c-section than a vaginal birth. Hysterectomy is more common after cesarean. The risk of maternal death is higher.
• The risk of uterine infection is much higher after a c-section than it is after a vaginal birth. There is usually a longer hospital stay for the mother, and she is at a higher risk of being re-admitted to the hospital later for complications.
• The severity and length of pain after a cesarean is much greater than after a vaginal birth. You may feel more pain during a vaginal birth than you would during a cesarean. But shortly after birth most of that pain will be gone (unless you receive intervention such as episiotomy). Pain from cesarean surgery continues on into the early weeks and for some women, months.
• Infection. The uterus or nearby pelvic organs such as the bladder or kidneys can become infected.
• Increased blood loss. Blood loss on the average is about twice as much with cesarean birth as with vaginal birth. However, blood transfusions are rarely needed during a cesarean.
• Decreased bowel function. The bowel sometimes slows down for several days after surgery, resulting in distention, bloating and discomfort.
• Respiratory complications. General anesthesia can sometimes lead to pneumonia.
  Longer hospital stay and recovery time. Three to five days in the hospital is the common length of stay, whereas it is less than one to three days for a vaginal birth.
• Reactions to anesthesia. The mother's health could be endangered by unexpected responses (such as blood pressure that drops quickly) to anesthesia or other medications during the surgery.
• Risk of additional surgeries. For example, hysterectomy, bladder repair, etc.
• This infertility is related directly to the physical effects of the surgery. Women who had c-sections are also less likely to want to become pregnant again.
• The risks for ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, placenta previa, placenta accreta, and placental abruption are all higher for women who've had cesarean surgery. These conditions can endanger the life of both mother and baby.
• Future babies are more at risk for preterm birth and have an increased risk of stillbirth. It is also possible that they may be at risk for more malformations or more nervous system damage while growing in a scarred uterus.
• Women who have cesareans suffer from more infertility than women who have vaginal births.

In cesarean birth, the possible risks to the baby include the following:

• Premature birth. If the due date was not accurately calculated, the baby could be delivered too early.
• Breathing problems. Babies born by cesarean are more likely to develop breathing problems such as transient tachypnea (abnormally fast breathing during the first few days after birth).
• Low Apgar scores. Babies born by cesarean sometimes have low Apgar scores. The low score can be an effect of the anesthesia and cesarean birth, or the baby may have been in distress to begin with. Or perhaps the baby was not stimulated as he or she would have been by vaginal birth.
• Fetal injury. Although rare, the surgeon can accidentally nick the baby while making the uterine incision.
• Babies who are born by cesarean section may have a harder time breastfeeding. The first nursing session is almost always delayed and it may be harder for the mother and baby to establish the breastfeeding relationship. This is not an insurmountable problem - however the risk of a baby not being breastfed is much higher for cesarean section than for vaginal birth.

Weighing the Risks

It's clear that a cesarean holds many risks. Vaginal birth is much safer for both mother and baby in most situations.

 

There is some dispute about vaginal birth posing great risks to a woman's pelvic floor.

 

Evidence shows that this is most likely from unnecessary intervention during the pushing stage (forced pushing, episiotomy, pushing down on the baby while it's being born, etc.).

 

Some women may experience incontinence related to vaginal birth, but it diminishes with time and there is no evidence that late life incontinence is related to vaginal births in a woman's younger years.

 

Discuss a cesarean carefully with your care provider if one is suggested during pregnancy. Feel free to research for yourself and seek second opinions. If a cesarean is proposed during labor, try to gather as much information on all the options as you can. Ask what the risks of doing nothing would be. You have the right to second opinions.

 

Some babies will need to be born by c-section. If you have a cesarean don't feel guilty about it. Do what you need to do to process through the experience.

 

Take the time to allow your body to heal. Having an excellent diet will help you to heal and it will help ensure a healthy pregnancy for any future babies that you will have.

 

I highly recommend that you read the free booklet on c-section at the Maternity Center Association's webpage. It's an easy read and has extensive references.If you're interested in preparing for birth in a way that leaves you in control no matter what happens I highly recommend The Pink Kit - the PK method will allow you to truly prepare for birth and know your body. You'll go into labor confident that you can handle any situation that may occur. PK skills can be used for a vaginal birth or for a c-section birth.