What is a Cesarean Section?
A Cesarean Section also known as C-Section, is the delivery of a baby through a surgical incision in the mother's abdomen and uterus. In certain circumstances, a c-section is scheduled in advance. In others, it's done in response to an unforeseen complication.A c-section is major abdominal surgery, so it is riskier than a vaginal delivery. Moms who have c-sections are more likely to have an infection, excessive bleeding, blood clots, more postpartum pain, a longer hospital stay, and a significantly longer recovery. Injuries to the bladder or bowel, although very rare, are also more common.
In addition, if you plan to have more children, each c-section you have increases your future risk of these complications as well as placenta previa and placenta accreta. That said, not all c-sections can — or should — be prevented. In some situations, a c-section is necessary for the well-being of the mother, the baby, or both.
However, it should be noted that a preplanned C-sections appear to be safer and, not surprisingly, more acceptable to moms than unplanned emergency C-sections. Recent research by obstetricians at the University of Vienna in Austria suggests that as far as psychological factors, pain levels, and birth experience, there's no comparison between the two types of C-sections. The women who had elective cesareans reported having the best birth experience, while those who had vaginal deliveries with vacuum extraction reported having the worst. The researchers concluded that elective C-sections were safe and "psychologically well-tolerated," and that the results were similar to uncomplicated vaginal deliveries.