The Benefits Of A Cesarean Section Delivery
Posted on Sep 02, 2009 | Comments 94
There are admittedly many risks attached to the delivery of a baby by Cesarean Section, and proponents of natural or vaginal delivery do tend to highlight those at all given opportunities; however there are many benefits to a C section delivery as well, which are important to be aware of so that a woman can make an informed decision about an elective C Section if she so wishes:
Safety: Yes a cesarean birth is a major abdominal surgery and it involves all the risks associated with that, however medical science is now so advanced as to lower the risk so significantly that women can consider elective C Section birth.
C sections are now much safer than they used to be, and with them becoming more routine, surgeons are more skilled at this than ever before.
No Labor pain: Labor pains can be a very real downside to a vaginal delivery. Since labor pains can extend over a long period of time, it can be a harrowingly difficult and painful time for a woman.
There is of course the pain of an abdominal surgery to overcome, but after the first few days the pain is very manageable in most cases. Remember even in a vaginal delivery there is usually an episiotomy performed so there are those stitches to deal with.
In any case proponents of a C section will tell you that with this form of delivery you know the amount and duration of pain, whereas with a vaginal delivery you don’t know how long and severe your labor will be.
You can be conscious throughout and not have to suffer any pain of delivery. Post delivery issues like hemorrhoids etc are also not an issue with a C section.
Dignity and Privacy: A vaginal delivery is not the most private of things, with doctors and nurses milling around to check how dilated you are, and you being in a less than flattering position for any number of hours. A C section is over in a matter of some minutes.
No trauma for the child: Coming through the birth canal is quite an arduous process for a baby, who often comes out with an elongated or slightly misshapen head. In a C section the child is simply lifted out and has to undergo none of the rigors of a vaginal delivery. This is something to be considered too.
You can schedule the delivery: Proponents of natural childbirth generally are of the view that it is a process that should happen in due course rather than something you schedule, but this has to be a personal choice that a woman should be permitted to make without having to deal with guilt.
Some of the Medical Sources:
http://www.osteodoc.com/birthtrauma.htm
http://www.osteohome.com/articles/Birth_Trauma.pdf
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Note: The purport of this post is to offer another angle to the Cesarean Section delivery. There is a lot of material out there on the internet, that can scare a woman into eschewing the option of a C Section and also make her feel guilty about opting for something that should rightly be a choice available to her without complications of fear and guilt.
This was not meant to be a learned piece filled with scientific and medical data, merely an anecdotal piece written by one of our writers who has undergone two C section deliveries and who wanted to highlight her positive experiences with the procedure.
This piece is in no way meant to belittle or in any way try to disparage the primacy and value of a natural vaginal delivery; merely to present a point of view that is not commonly expressed and which we feel that women have the right to hear as well.
Since this post has also invited a plethora of negative comments we shall also be replying to all of these comments to try and to give factual and medical citations to support the claims that the author of this article has made.
Related Posts:
- The Right Information Will Help You To Avoid A Cesarean Section
- Possible Risks And Complications Involved In Cesarean Delivery!
- Improving The Experience Of A Cesarean Delivery
- Vitamin D Deficit In Pregnancy Tied To Cesarean Risk
- Correct Baby Position During Delivery
- How To Recover From The Vaginal Delivery?
Posted in: LABOR & DELIVERY
Christina – Your comment sounds perilously like scaremongering.
Working from home today – Again, this is not meant to be a learned piece merely an anecdotal one that presents a view contrary to what is usually given.
Wendy W – Thanks for raising some valid points. We are aware that an episiotomy is controversial and far less common today than it was, however the fact remains that it is the most common medical procedures performed on women and in Latin America it is performed in 90% of hospital births. (http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/324/7343/945?view=long&pmid=11964339) .
Whatever the requirement or incidence of an episiotomy, it is important for women to know that some midwives compare routine episiotomy to female circumcision and that one study found that women who underwent episiotomy reported more painful intercourse and insufficient lubrication 12-18 months after birth.
As for dignity and privacy that is surely an opinion that women should be allowed to form for themselves. Some women may prefer that their baby is delivered within a matter of minutes rather wait for an unknown amount of hours in an unclothed or partly clothed state in great pain. Should they not be allowed to decide what is better for them?
When you talk about a scheduled C section delivery also give a thought to when the child’s head has not descended the child is full term (as in the case of the writer with both her children). Many women may seek a C section rather than have an induced labor; in fact that is advised by many doctors.
Better Birth – You make a very impassioned comment, however like we said we are not advocating C sections to be preferred over vaginal deliveries, however it pays to know that a prolonged labor prior to natural delivery can also be very traumatic for a child and can result in several problems after birth.
When you say “it gets difficult in this country, to find support for vaginal birth” I think that the comments here indicate otherwise.
When you say “Women, it’s up to you to stop being cattle,” we applaud your view; a woman has to take an informed decision on what is best for HER, and not be misguided either by fear or guilt.
Meredith – The writer of the article had two c sections
And “invasive suctioning to clear their lungs” is not common even among C section babies.
Connie Livingstone – As we said this is an anecdotal piece designed to present a contrary from popular view.
Gretchen – I think that all the points raised by you have been addressed in our replies above.
J Herr – Thanks for reading the post in the spirit that it was written and also thanks for adding some very valuable points for our readers here. I am sure that many of our readers will find very valuable information in your comment.
Maureen – We are dismissing none of the risks. To do that would be irresponsible and downright reprehensible. We merely want to present a counter view.
Jennifer – We are sorry that you think of a person’s experiences as ‘inaccurate’ and we are also sorry about your experiences, which are not the same as many others.
Maryann Combs – For a comment such as yours, there is also this one: “I’d like to add a few cons to natural childbirth. I have experienced both. One natural delivery with no tears cuts or stiches very peacful very good delivery and recovery. One crash C section to save myself and my babies life.
I am now having baby no3 even after my terrible CRASH C SECTION I am hoping to have an elective C Section the reason being after a C section you don’t have the dreaded stress incontinance. I have done my pelvic floor exercises like a trooper yet still 6 years on if I need to yell or scream laugh or sneeze I have to cross my legs…. I (assume) that some of the poor ladies out there who delivered big babies or had difficult labours forceps 3rd degree tears etc would have a few cons to add the list of cons for natural childbirth..” There are two sides to every story.
Birth in Joy – I hope that the note along with the article explains its purport and our responses in the comments section address your issues.
Jane Ashwell- Carter There is controversy surrounding episiotomies; however it is a fact that they are routinely performed in many parts of the world (as many as 90% natural births in some places as we said above) and about 40% of women do still receive episiotomies in the United States. (http://www.medicinenet.com/episiotomy/article.htm)
Rachel Z – Of course C sections are not 100% safe, but then neither are vaginal deliveries.
When you say “Us proponents aren’t out to guilt anyone into anything” actually that is precisely what a lot of women feel. If you read this comment here: “I am pleased that some people have put good comments on about c-sections. I am looking for information about them, as I have been told by my doctor that I may have to have one for medical reasons. After reading the terribly biased ‘cons’ list at the top of this page, I was in tears. I think the person who wrote that should consider people like me, who may have to have a c-section and are very very scared. You are just making us feel worse about the whole thing. (http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/143477 ) then you get an idea of how very guilty women are made to feel.
Madia Smith-Garvin – We are sorry that you are offended but this is really the opinion of one of our writers.
Marisa Ring – By no labor pain, the writer means in the case of elective C sections and this article is for the limited purposes of highlighting the possible plusses or a C section.
Not So Sure about your Science– Most points raised by you have addressed above by us in the comments.
Jennifer – the writer was nursing her babies within a few of hours of their being born; the milk took some time to come in though. And as we said before she refused and was able to manage without pain medication after surgery because she was afraid it would impede breastfeeding.
Allison – Yes she has not experienced vaginal delivery because it was a medical emergency that required the first C section. In any case she was very apprehensive about a vaginal delivery and for her second child she opted for a C section because she had had very positive experiences with her first C section.
Jennifer – To our knowledge the writer does not smoke
Claire Winstone, No the writer is not an OB, she is a freelance writer who wanted to share her own experiences.
Dr. Meredith Nash- “babies have survived the ‘rigours’ of vaginal childbirth for millenia.” Most certainly they have but that is not to say that there is no negative effect of prolonged birth canal trauma
@Anonymous – There is a lot of information available, much of it on this site (it is our policy not to publish writer names) about the many downsides of a C Section. This is simply a counterview.
Nic – It is true that a woman’s body is incredible in what is capable of doing and withstanding; dignity and privacy are not the only reasons for a C section, there are many more, the point is that women should not be made to feel guilty.
Magda – The many risks attached to C Sections are not the purport of the article, which is as stated.
Karen – We have cited episiotomy statistics and citations in our comment replies above.
Stacey – We hope that our comment replies above have assuaged some of the anger that you have expressed.
Maryann Combs – As we have said before, the writer is a freelance writer who wanted to share her own experiences. We are in no way attempting to detract from the very real dangers of a C section, merely that women should be aware of their options.
I’m awed by this op-ed. One has to wonder, has the author ever had both a c/s and a vaginal delivery?
I have. So I’d like to rebut the claims made here.
Starting with safety. Cesarean sections are still significantly more dangerous than spontaneous vaginal delivery. Beyond that, they carry safety risks with them into future pregnancies such as uterine rupture.
Labor Pain. It’s true that with a scheduled cesarean surgery that you aren’t likely to experience labor pains. However make no mistake that surgical recovery is in no way on par with labor pains. In labor you have intermediate pain that comes and goes, and after the birth – is *gone*. Surgical recovery is constant pain that requires high level narcotic relief to control. Beyond that it’s not pain that lasts a few hours, or at worst a couple of days – it lasts for at least a week, and if you’re unlucky and have a complicated recovery – months. I would take 1000 unmedicated vaginal births over one more cesarean, just because even my worst labor came nowhere close to the level of pain I experienced after my cesarean. Let me also make one thing clear – I had a very *easy* c/s recovery compared to many other women I’ve talked to.
Dignity and Privacy. I understand for some women this is a really big deal. Really BIG. The thing is, you always have the option to demand these things, and opting for a surgical birth seems far more demeaning than having someone watch while you’re pushing. After all, what could be more intimate than exposing your guts (literally) to a room full of strangers?
No Trauma for the Child? Many babies end up being cut by the surgeons scalpel during a cesarean surgery. To me that is far more traumatic than the squeezing that is physiologically helpful to the baby during birth.
Last but not least – scheduling the birth. This, hands down, is possibly the only benefit I can see to a surgical birth. However, babies are rarely scheduled creatures. A long time ago when I was pregnant with my first, and very impatient to hold her, I was told that patience was the first lesson a new parent needed. All children are ready at their own speed. There are also risks to scheduling a birth that may not be immediately obvious. For someone like me who gestates longer than average, scheduling a birth for 38 weeks could possibly be catastrophic. I understand my births fall on the extreme end of the bell curve, and that normally most women give birth sooner than I do. But I am not alone as a 43 week mama. Forcing a baby of mine to be born 5 weeks early would make them a full-term “premie”. It’s a Rx for a guaranteed NICU stay.
I do believe women should have the right to birth where, and how they chose. But I don’t think that op-ed pieces like this, which paint a rosy picture on something that is far from rosy, help women to make a well-rounded decision. Lets face it from both ends of the spectrum – from planned unassisted birth, to scheduled elective cesarean, birth is relatively safe. We’re splitting hairs when we decide which risks are the more comfortable ones to take.
I haven’t read all the comments, but I’m confused by the comment quoted about “the reason being after a C section you don’t have the dreaded stress incontinance.” Where on earth did this come from? I’ve had five babies, all by c-section. I’ve had some labour, but I’ve never pushed. I now experience stress incontinence. What’s more, I can’t even do kegels properly, anymore. This is because I’ve lost almost all bladder sensation due to nerve damage from my 3rd c-section, which was over four years ago. (Prior to that, I’d been doing kegels regularly for about 20 years, including during that entire pregnancy, right up until the day of surgery.) C-sections do NOT protect against stress incontinence.
Also, any comment about how long post-op pain lasts is a generalization. I’ve had it disappear in as little as a month…and I’ve had it last as long as 8 months. My surgical recoveries have all been very different from one another.
And, the stressed on the baby of natural birth? I only had one child who arrived with no labour at all (3 scheduled sections, but I went into labour just before 2 of them). That child used to stop breathing at random intervals. The hospital nurse told us they see that a lot with scheduled c-sections. Labour stress doesn’t seem like such a bad thing, really.
The problem here is that this is not presented as an op-ed. The article is presented as fact, not the author’s personal experiences. No one would be ripping into her if she wrote her birth stories, including what made her prefer her Cesareans to what she imagines vaginal birth would have been like for her. However, that is just not what is going on here – this is a load of misinformation and people are calling it as such. You can’t defend that by saying after-the-fact that it’s just opinion.
The state of the science report by the NIH and the ACOG position statements on cesarean delivery do NOT agree that there is adequate evidence that it is safe enough to consider elective cesarean as an appropriate intervention for a safe birth. Both of those reports, from the experts in the field, say there is NOT evidence supporting this at all.
Cesarean delivery is an intervention. It is not an equal choice for delivery. Downplaying its risks on here without support from the medical community is unethical.
Oh, and a note to the admin: the original post clearly mentions that “medical science” supports the safety of cesarean section, so to call this an anecdotal piece is dodging the issue. It is a MISLEADING anecdotal piece if anything.
MomTFH – If you will read the wording properly, you will see that it does not say ““medical science” supports the safety of cesarean section, ” as you have said.
The post, talks about C sections being a major abdominal surgery and that it involves all the risks associated with it and says and we quote, “however medical science is now so advanced as to lower the risk so significantly that women can consider elective C Section birth.”
As a practicing OB/GYN with a quarter century of experience and a professor helping teach residents, I stand with the majority of your commenters. This is a one-sided article (not surprising since the author only had c-sections) giving erroneous and incomplete information. The many comments accurately reflect the factual errors of the article, so I will not repeat them here.
The bottom line is evidenced by the current rising maternal & neonatal complication rates paralleling the rising c-section rate.
C-sections should be reserved for valid medical reasons, not personal convenience.
“Coming through the birth canal is quite an arduous process for a baby, who often comes out with an elongated or slightly misshapen head.”
Have we considered that perhaps these “traumas” for the child in a vaginal birth are an important and intended part of how we are designed to birth/be born? Did our designer make a mistake?
Babies’ heads are designed to be molded and squished in birth and the baby benefits from the rhythmic contractions and last squeeze in being born vaginally. The contractions stimulate the baby and fluids are squished out of belly and lungs in the “fetal heimlich” as the body is birthed. These functions are there for a reason! Why deprive your child of these important benefits if you can avoid a cesarean?
[...] Benefits of a Cesarean and ICAN’s response [...]
And to add, insurance companies are starting to not cover moms who have had a previous cesarean section:
As of 2007, 31.8% of childbearing women in the United States had a cesarean delivery and the rate continues to increase each year. These increases are due, in part, to the growing number of women who are denied the opportunity to have a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) through similarly discriminatory VBAC bans. “The prospect of rendering a third of women uninsurable is frightening and unconscionable,” said Desirre Andrews, President of ICAN. “Many of these women are being pressured or bullied into first-time and repeat cesareans, and to doubly inflict them by leaving them without health insurance is offensive.” Clearly this type of practice potentially affects a very large number of women now and in the future as the cesarean rate continues to climb and the vaginal birth after cesarean rate continues to decline.
http://www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2009/10/16/stories-of-discriminatory-insurance-practices-needed-by-ican.html
So please add this when being so blatant about cesarean sections being a fine alternative birth option.
I have experienced two c-sections, and three vaginal births. Women who need c-sections should feel NO GUILT whatsoever. There are many downsides to c-sections, but they are absolutely worth it if that is what is necessary to have a healthy baby.
It is absolutely true that c-sections are MUCH safer than they were in the past. Because doctors in the US perform SO MANY c-sections (more than 30% of births), they have plenty of practice, and have developed techniques to make the surgery itself, and subsequent pregnancies safer than before. While no one disputes that vaginal birth is unequivocally the safest birth for healthy moms and babies, moms who require a c-section should rest assured that doctors and nurses do everything possible to ensure that both mothers and babies recover from surgery as well as possible.
I also agree that the lack of labor pain is a real benefit with a c-section. Once my anesthesiologist adjusted the epidural I never felt any pain during the actual surgery. (It is NOT normal to feel any pain during the surgery. If you do, speak up right away! Sometimes the epidural will need to be increased, and your doctor will have no way of knowing unless you tell him.)
It is also true that c-section pain is much easier to predict than labor pain. While the lengths of my labors varied widely — the longest was 24 hours and the shortest was 45 minutes — both of my c-section recoveries were the same. Within 24 hours I was able to stand and walk with assistance. Within a couple of days I could move from laying down to sitting up without assistance, and within a week I could do that with little pain. By two weeks I was out of bed and able to care for my baby on my own, though my doctor still advised taking it easy.
The one area where I absolutely must disagree with the author is on the issue of c-sections being “less traumatic” for the baby. I can understand why someone might think that being lifted from the womb would be better for a baby than being squeezed through the birth canal, but this is simply medically untrue. As the poster before me mentioned, this process helps a baby to begin breathing and is only beneficial. This is actually one of the downsides of a c-section, though it bears repeating that such downsides are worth it if necessary to protect your baby’s health.
I’d like to offer a few recommendations on c-sections:
* A mom is most likely to be happy with her c-section if she is absolutely certain that it is best for both her and her baby. If you are not certain whether you need a c-section, the third point on this page gives a list of indications for c-section birth:
http://ican-online.org/pregnancy/cesarean-fact-sheet
* Schedule your c-section for as late in pregnancy as possible. The March of Dimes recommends waiting until at least 39 weeks to reduce the risk of problems associated with being born too early:
http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/240_48590.asp
* Speak to your doctor about the type of incision he plans to use. Almost all doctors use a low transverse incision these days (with possible exceptions in an emergency). Compared to a classical c-section, a low transverse c-section is safer for future pregnancies and safer for future vaginal births.
* While breastfeeding can be more difficult after a c-section it is NOT impossible. Both of my sons born by c-section were exclusively breastfed until they started solid foods. Make sure you let the hospital know that you plan to breastfeed, and that you want your baby brought to you as soon as possible after birth. Instruct the nurses not to give your baby formula or sugar water. Likely your baby will not be interested in formula anyway, due to the effects of anesthesia. If your baby is not interested in nursing right away, be patient, ask for a lactation consultant, and keep trying.
I can’t believe this. Are you serious???? Maybe your just trying to make the 31% who do have a section feel better or something?
cesearean section is a vital medical tool applied to emergency situations. the more women that think that it is acceptable to elect to c-section for non-emergencies leads to a situation were serious life skills (ie birthing skills) are lost. why are you promoting this for such no valid reasons?
[...] Pregnancy Zone has published an online article heralding cesarean section as safe, painless, private, easy for the baby and convenient for the [...]
[...] Can a C section prevent Group B strep in a newborn? Since Group B strep is an infection passed on by the mother’s genital flora, one of the questions that occur for many is if the risk of Group B strep can be eliminated by a C section. [...]
@Shay, when you say “Maybe your just trying to make the 31% who do have a section feel better or something?” what is so wrong with letting women feel less awful, less guilty about having a C section? Or must you continue to beat up women for having dared to make a choice that they may have felt compelled to make for any number of different reasons?