A Caesarean section ( C-section) is a surgical procedure in which one or

more incisions are made through a mother's abdomen (laparotomy)

and uterus (hysterectomy) to deliver one or more babies. The first modern
Caesarean section was performed by German gynecologist Ferdinand
Adolf Kehrer in 1881.
A Caesarean section is often performed when a vaginal delivery would put
the baby's or mother's life or health at risk. Some are also performed upon
request without a medical reason to do so, which is a practice health
authorities would like to reduce.
C-sections result in a small overall increase in bad outcomes in low risk
pregnancies. The bad outcomes that occur with C-section differ from
those that occur with vaginal delivery. Established guidelines recommend
that caesarean sections not be used before 39 weeks without a medical
indication to perform the surgery.
In many countries, caesarean section procedures are used more
frequently than is necessary, and consequently governments and health
organizations promote programs to reduce the use of caesarean section
in favor of using vaginal delivery. The countries which report overuse of
this procedure are not finding ways to decrease use of the procedure as
much as they would like. A C-section is the delivery of a baby through a
surgical opening in the mother's lower belly area. It is also called a
cesarean section.








Operation during the delivery of the baby







Pros:
Can be more convenient for a woman and reduce her stress about anticipation of labor

Possible decreased risk of incontinence
Possible decreased risk of sexual dysfunction for first three months postpartum
Reduced risk of oxygen deprivation to baby during delivery
Reduced risk of birth trauma to baby sometimes sustained from passing through birth canal, or from
forceps or vacuum extraction
Women feel a greater sense of control knowing when their baby will be born, and can plan for family help,
a baby nurse, furniture delivery, work leave, and so forth.
Cons:
Possible pre-term delivery if due date calculation is inaccurate

Rare: Possible infant injury when the doctor makes the uterine incision
Risk of damage to the mother's bowels and/or bladder
Increased maternal blood loss and risk of needing a transfusion
Risk of complications from anesthesia (pneumonia, allergic reactions, low blood pressure)
Slightly higher mortality rate for the mother
Twice the risk of infant mortality
Higher risk of infection and blood clots for the mother
Decreased bowel function after surgery
Risk of lower Apgar scores for the baby
Longer hospital stay (three to five days) and longer recovery period
Possible complications with breast-feeding
Possible increased likelihood of clinical postpartum depression
Potentially more expensive your insurance may not cover an elective cesarean
Internal scar tissue may cause problems in future c-sections
In later pregnancies, risks to the mother increase, whether she delivers by VBAC or cesarean



















Introduction