Having A Caesarian Section- Is It The Right Decision?

For thousands of years, natural childbirth has been the most ordinary form of childbirth. This is a process where the uterine walls contract, pushing out the baby through the vagina into its new world. However, a new concept of baby delivery by creating a gap in the abdominal wall of the mother was introduced a few centuries ago, and has remained the better option for women who cannot go through natural deliveries due to certain complications. Every woman who gives birth will experience some fundamental issues, of a physical and psychological nature.

There are plenty of considerations that need to be looked into before opting for either vaginal childbirth or a caesarian section.

First and foremost is the health of the baby. You may think that going through labor pains and the pain of a natural childbirth makes you a stronger mother, but this is simply not true. Natural childbirth is a risky business, especially when it becomes too long, painful and exhausting for the mother. The stress that the mother is experiencing releases hormones into the mother’s body which are harmful for her as well as her baby. Also, the greater the strain, the higher the chances of rectal tearing. This is another problem in the making.

Other possible dangers of vaginal childbirth include twisted umbilical cords, breech birth as well as other less known risks which can occur. Basically, a breech birth is where the fetus is in the wrong position for delivery. Usually, the baby is in the position to come out feet first, but other positions endangering the baby can also lead to a breech birth. A wrapped umbilical cord can easily cut off the child’s oxygen supply and strangle the baby. In these cases, forceps and other extracting tools and methods are required.

Sometimes the head of the fetus is quite big, and may lead to vaginal tearing, which requires a longer time to heal. Another risk involved in natural childbirth is the head of the baby getting wedged at the vaginal opening, which will endanger the baby’s life and the mother’s health if it remains so for a period of time. In this case, vaginal relaxation can be induced by the use of certain drugs.

However, it is also clear that doing a Caesarian section will not remove all the potential risks!

Creating an opening to remove the baby requires slicing through the abdominal wall all the way to the uterus. This is major surgery, and needs to be done under anesthesia. The caesarian section may not be as painful as vaginal childbirth, but it takes a much longer time to recuperate from. A scar is left behind, which is quite slight, but all the same, unwanted by many women.

Also, any and all drugs or medications taken during birth, such as the anesthesia, are shared by both mother and child. In some rare reported case, the anesthesia used for the caesarian section ended up causing long-term neurological damage to the baby. This can be dangerous.

However, all these risks are low when compared to the actual statistics of women giving birth everyday. In fact, more so than the past, more and more women are giving birth without any uncommon occurrences, either through vaginal birthing or caesarian section. But in the end, knowing the advantages and disadvantages of both can help pregnant mothers to make the right choice!