Labor and delivery (11)
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- Labor and delivery: Pain medications
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Postpartum care (7)
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C-section: When is it the best option?
Possible complications
Recovery from a C-section takes longer than recovery from a vaginal birth. It's major surgery, so Caesarean delivery also carries a higher risk of complications.
Complications that may affect the baby include:
- Temporary abnormally fast breathing (transient tachypnea)
- Rarely, cuts or nicks in the baby's skin from surgery
Complications for you may include:
- Inflammation and infection of the membrane lining the uterus (endometritis), often treated with intravenous antibiotics
- Increased bleeding
- Urinary tract infection
- Constipation
- Reactions to anesthetics, such as headache or allergic reactions
- Blood clots
- Wound infection
- Rarely, the need for additional surgeries to repair accidental surgical injuries
- Higher risk of complications during subsequent pregnancies, including bleeding, placental problems, abnormal fetal positions and uterine tearing along the scar line from the prior C-section
Manage anxiety about C-sections
Although there are many reasons why a C-section might be necessary, remember that most babies are delivered vaginally.
However, if you do need a C-section, both you and your partner may be anxious. In an emergency, your health care provider may not have time to explain the procedure and answer all your questions.
Discuss the possibility of a C-section with your health care provider well before your due date. Ask questions, share your concerns and review the circumstances that might make a C-section the best option. Remind yourself that your health and your baby's health are more important than is the method of delivery.
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