Preparing for a c-section
Your chance of having a cesarean delivery is 1 in 4. The c-section is the most frequent surgery performed on women in the United States. Here are some conditions that could prompt your doctor to recommend a c-section:
- Failure of labor to progress (dystocia). The term “dystocia” refers to either of two kinds of abnormal labor. The first relates to issues surrounding the position or size of the fetus. The second, however, is less well-defined and simply refers to a labor that isn’t progressing well.
- Fetal distress. A fetal monitor may be used to listen to the baby’s heartbeat as she progresses through the birth canal. It can provide an early warning that the fetus may be in trouble.
- Herpes. If the mom-to-be has an active herpes lesion, your baby will be delivered by c-section to keep her from getting herpes too.
- A previous c-section with a vertical incision. This "classical" incision may rupture during the rigors of labor.
- Breech position. In a breech position the baby is positioned so that she would be born bottom first instead of headfirst. A c-section eliminates many of the complications that could arise from a vaginal breech birth.
- A large baby. A c-section often is necessary if the baby is simply too large for the mother to have a safe vaginal birth.
- Placenta previa. In this condition the placenta partly or completely covers the cervical opening so the baby can’t move outward.
- Abruptio placentae. If the placenta separates before labor begins, causing bleeding, a quick c-section can save the lives of both you and the baby.
- Multiple births. Women with more than one unborn child sometimes deliver early, and a c-section makes the birth easier on the babies.
- Prolapse of the umbilical cord. If the umbilical cord drops into the cervix or vagina, the blood flow to the baby may be squeezed off.
C-section surgery
When a baby is born via c-section, she’s delivered surgically through an incision in the abdominal and uterine walls. Better anesthesia methods, antibiotics, blood banking, and surgical techniques all make cesarean sections less dangerous to perform than in the past. And the use of fetal monitors and an increasing focus on the baby’s well-being have combined to make c-sections safer for the newborn too.
Extra TLC
Cesareans require extra rest and recuperation. Because you’re recovering not only from childbirth but also from major abdominal surgery, your hospital stay will be longer than if you’d had a vaginal delivery. How long? Maybe three to four days. But much depends on your medical insurance, your doctor, and your own healing time.
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