Introduction
A cesarean section is the medical procedure in which the surgeons do one or more incisions on the abdomen and uterus of the mother for delivering baby, or in some cases for removing the dead fetus. The process of making the incision on the mother’s abdomen is called laparotomy and on the uterus is called hysterotomy.
When a vaginal delivery is not safe for the health and life of mother or the baby, a cesarean section is performed. Over the past 30 years, there has been a gradual increase in cesarean births with numbers reaching upto 45% in China and upto 25% in many Asian, Latin American and European countries. According to reports, one out of every four delivery is cesarean these days.
As with almost all surgical procedures, there are risks involved with cesarean surgery also. Knowing the risk associated with the surgery will help you in being more informatively equipped, while consulting your health care provider and physician, and in making better and well informed decisions.
Risks and complications associated with the mother
Most of the cesarean surgery risks are same as the risks associated with other abdominal surgeries:
1. Increased blood loss or hemorrhage- The blood loss during the cesarean delivery is more in comparison to the vaginal delivery. As a result, anemia can occur and blood transfusion may also be required. Data reveal that out of 100 women undergoing cesarean operation, 1 out of every 6 require blood transfusion.
2. Infections- Infections are found to occur on the uterus and on other pelvic organs, for example on bladder.
3. Organ injuries- Injuries can also occur on organs like bladder or bowel.
4. Extended stay in hospital- A women might have to stay in the hospital for three to five days after undergoing the cesarean surgery.
5. Adhesion- Pain and blockage may occur on the inside of the pelvic regions. This might also result in complications in future pregnancies, which arise because of placental abruptions and placenta previa.
6. Medicational reactions and side effects- The medications provided during cesarean operation, for example anasthesia and pain medications, might have side and adverse effects.
7. Extended time of recovery- The recovery time in a cesarean operation varies from weeks to months, which has a negative impact on the baby-mother bonding time.
8. Maternal mortality- The mortality ratios are significantly higher in cesarean operations as compared to vaginal deliveries.
9. Additional surgery requirement- Many a times, additional surgeries need to be performed like another cesarean, bladder repair or hysterectomy.
10. High emotional reaction- The negative delivery experience has a negative impact on a mother’s psychology which could affect her bond with the baby.
Complications and risks associated with the baby
1. Breathing problems- The baby which is conceived after cesarean often has respiratory and breathing problems.
2. Premature birth- If the gestational period is not calculated correctly, the conceived baby might have lower weight and could be born early.
3. Fetal injury- In rare cases, the baby is also incised (cut or nicked)
4. Low APGAR score- 50% of the times, the baby conceived through cesarean have low APGAR scores which is a result of fetal distress, lack of stimulation and anasthesia.
It is recommended to cross check the reasons for the recommendation of cesarean by a health care provider. Alternatives must be explored. It is necessary for the health care provider to calculate all the risks and complications associated with the cesarean before undertaking it.
Via AmericanPregnancy
