What are the risks of a cesarean section?
While a cesarean section may
not be part of your birth plan, your doctor may recommend it for a variety of
reasons. You may need to have a cesarean section if you are pregnant with two
or more children or have a disease or infection.
If you have an emergency
during childbirth, you may also need a cesarean section. Here are some examples
where this might be the safest option:
- Your labor isn’t progressing as it should.
- Your baby is in a bad position or too large for a vaginal birth.
- Your health or you baby's is at risk.
But there are still risks to
both you and your baby with a cesarean section delivery.
Risks for you
As with any major surgery, a cesarean
section comes with a number of risks. These include blood clots, bleeding, and
reactions to anesthesia. You may also have one of the following:
- Infection
- Surgical injury to your bladder or intestines
- Amniotic fluid embolism (amniotic fluid or fetal material enters the maternal bloodstream)
- Inflammation of the uterus
- Bleeding
Risks for future pregnancies
If you want to breastfeed, a cesarean
section is fine. Once in the recovery room, you can start trying right away.
After a cesarean section, you
are more likely to have complications in future pregnancies. If you are having
a vaginal delivery after a cesarean section, there is a risk of uterine rupture
along the line of the cesarean scar. In the future, you may experience problems
with the placenta or scar tissue in the pelvic area. But normal vaginal
delivery after cesarean section is possible.
Risks for your child
There are far fewer risks to
your baby during a cesarean section. However, babies born by cesarean section
are more likely to develop breathing problems, especially if the cesarean
section was delivered before 39 weeks. This is because childbirth helps empty
fluid from your baby's lungs.
If a cesarean section is
performed before labor begins, there may still be fluid in the lungs, but it
usually clears up on its own after a day or two.
There is also a small risk of injury to your child during the procedure. But they are rare, as is the risk that your child will have a bad reaction to your anesthesia.