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A cesarean birth (cesarean or c-section) is major surgery where a baby is delivered by an incision that is first made on the skin, then the underlying abdominal muscle wall and finally the uterus itself. Cesareans can be done by an obstetrician as planned surgery or as an emergency procedure when vaginal birth isnt possible. Although cesarean births are considered very safe, there are risks, including death.
Greater emphasis on "quality survival" for the newborn, not simply survival There has been a decrease in the number of forceps deliveries, which in turn increases the number of C-sections Dystocia. The number one reason for cesarean birth is dystocia. Dystocia refers to any difficulty in labor. The difficulty can be caused by: The fetus is not being able to progress down the birth canal. The size of the baby compared to the size of the mothers pelvisif the babys head is too big to pass through the mothers pelvis it can cause a very difficult vaginal delivery and even stop the cervix from completely dilating. Some babies are just too big to be born vaginally; large babies are common with gestational diabetes. Weak contractions in the mothers uterus; extended labor can be a risk to both the mother and the baby, more so to the baby. Obstruction or severe distortion of the birth canal (caused by pelvic tumor or fibroid tumors) Previous cesarean birth. There is a common saying once a cesarean, always a cesarean. This thinking led to a large increase in cesarean birth rates. Position of the fetus within the uterus. The normal position just before the delivery is a headdown (cephalic) position. If the baby presents in one of the positions listed below, vaginal delivery could lead to the trauma or death of the fetus. Sometimes the baby can be turned to allow vaginal delivery. Problems can also arise when the umbilical cord is born before the baby, cutting off the babys blood supply. o Breech presentation. When the fetus is in a head-up, feet-first or rump-first position its called a breech presentation. o Shoulder. There are many shoulder presentations; however, all transverse positions (sideways) are called shoulder presentations. o Compound. When two body parts appear at the pelvis at the same time, such as a hand beside the head, its called a compound presentation.
Fetal distress is used to describe any complications with the fetussuch as abnormal heart rate from poor oxygen supplyand usually does not allow vaginal delivery. In most cases, fetal distress is lack of oxygen to the brain of the fetus (oxygen deprivation). o Abnormal fetal heart rate patterns (non-reassuring fetal status) slowing of fetal heart rate with uterine contractions which led to cesarean section Multiple births. When there is more than one fetus most surgeons deliver by cesarean births. Cesarean birth is a much safer method to deliver multiple babies. About half of all mothers who have twins, have a c-section, while 90% of triplets are born by c-section. Very premature fetus. Problems with the Umbilical When the umbilical cord is delivered ahead of the fetus, called cord prolapse, it causes the cord to get compressed by the baby and oxygen and the blood supply to the baby is cut off. This is an emergency that requires cesarean birth. Problems with the Placenta. The placenta can detach from the uterine wall (abruptio placentae) before labor begins and be life threatening for both you and your baby. Placenta previa is when the placenta partially or completely blocks the opening of the cervix. In this case, the placenta would have to be born first, leaving the fetus without oxygen. In addition, blood loss for the mother could be fatal. Health of the Mother. Certain health conditions of the mother can require a cesarean birth: o History of previous problems during childbirth o Active herpes sores o Narrow cervix (vaginal atresia) o Gestational diabetes o Pregnancy-induced hypertension o Vaginal infections or tumors o HIV o Cervical cancer o Heart disease or risk of stroke o Severe obesity o Repeat Miscarriages. o Rh factor: In erythroblastosis fetalis (difference in the Rh factor of the mother and the fetus), there is a risk of fetal anemia. Health of the Baby. If the baby has been diagnosed with health problems, it may be better for the baby to be born by cesarean birth. Also, monitoring during labor will tell how well your baby is handling labor and how well the placenta and umbilical cord are working. Many of these complications happen in a very small number of births. And the decision for cesarean birth is decided by balancing the risks and benefits to mother and baby.