If you are thinking about elective C section, you should know that the number of such procedures doubled during the last decade in the US. Moreover, about 30% of the babies are born through this procedure. Many of the procedures are done too early, before the 39th week of pregnancy.
Information about C section that is elective
According to a study, about half of the C sections are done on an elective basis. 36% of the procedures take place too soon, before the 39th week and because of this the babies are more likely to require intensive care, to have respiratory distress or to be affected by infections.
The specialists say, regarding the C section that is elective, that the safest time to have the procedure is between weeks 39 and 41 and women should wait until that time to make sure that the baby is safe.
Although medical technology is at a high level, still women should consider the possible risks.
Advantages of elective C section
It is undeniable that there are some upsides of the procedure. For example one of the advantages is that it is a lot more convenient for women to give birth this way because they can reduce the anxiety and stress regarding labor and childbirth. Also they can decrease the risks of incontinence.
Some of the women consider having C section that is elective in order to avoid the possible sexual dysfunctions for the first three months after giving birth.
Another advantage is that through the procedure it is less likely for the baby to be affected by oxygen deprivation.
It is known regarding elective C section that if the baby passes through the birth canal, he or she could suffer from some trauma.
This is something almost impossible in case of the C section and the baby cannot be injured by the vacuum extraction or by the forceps either.
There are also some psychological advantages regarding the C section that is elective. Women say that they have a sense of control if they know for sure the date when the baby will be born and they can plan ahead for help, furniture delivery, work leave, and so on.
Disadvantages
Of course the elective C section also comes with some disadvantages. For instance it is possible for the baby to be born before the C section takes place if the due date has been miscalculated. It is also possible to injure the baby when the doctor makes the uterine incision, even though this happens rarely.
The mother also has some risks when it comes to C section that is elective. It is possible that the doctor injures her bladder or bowel. If she loses a lot of blood, the mother may require blood transfusion.
Since elective C section is done using general anesthesia, this also comes with some risks, such as allergic reactions, pneumonia, or low blood pressure. In case of this procedure the mothers have a slightly higher mortality rate than in case of vaginal birth.
Even if this rise doesn’t seem to be much regarding the C section that is elective, the mortality rate of the infants is almost double. Also there is the risk for the babies to have a lower Agpar score. After the surgery the mother could notice that she has decreased bowel function and breastfeeding problems could also occur.
Even though you may think that it has nothing to do with elective C section, the women giving birth this way are more likely to be affected by postpartum depression than other women.
