Caesarean Section: meaning, reasons to do C-section
Several persons must have heard about caesarean section, or simply C-section, especially after a woman is put to bed, and you would be wondering what this is. What does it mean to deliver like the “Hebrew Women”? It simply means mother and Child being safe. Having a C-section does not make you less of a woman!
Today, we will talk about C-section, why and when it should be done.
What Is Caesarean Section
C-section or Cesarean Section is a surgical procedure done on a pregnant woman to deliver her baby through a cut (incision) made in the mother’s abdomen and uterus. this is done by a doctor (Obstetrician).
What Are The Reasons For C-section?
The reasons why a woman may be asked to consider caesarean section are divided into 3 main groups
- Mother and Child reasons
- Maternal Reasons
- Child Reasons
I. Mother and Child Reasons: these include;
- Feto-pelvic Disproportion: what this means is that the maternal birth canal is not big enough in comparison with the baby’s head, hence, the baby’s head cannot pass through the mother’s pelvis (Birth canal). This is more commonly seen in first-time pregnancies. Any attempt to push can be fatal.
II. Mother Reasons: these include;
Previous Surgeries on the Womb: any previous surgeries performed on the womb such as a previous C-section or a surgery to remove a fibroid would leave scars on the walls of the womb and weaken it. When this happens, and the woman attempts vaginal delivery, the pressure of pushing can lead to the scars tearing, and this can lead to Uterine rupture causing severe bleeding. That’s why C-section is advised. Read more about uterine rupture here.
Birth Canal Obstruction: Sometimes there might be some growths or tumours that are in the passage that the baby would pass through, thereby blocking the baby’s birth canal. Instead of allowing the baby to suffer and die when its way out has been blocked, a C-section is preferred.
Maternal Diseases: pregnancy in a woman with diseases like Diabetes can lead to the development of a very large baby, that is bigger than normal, thereby, making the birth canal too small for them to pass through. This also leads to the feto-pelvic disproportion that was mentioned earlier. Forcing natural birth might cause harm to both the mother and child, hence C-section is preferred.
Previous Vaginal Surgeries: The child can come out of the vagina because it’s elastic but when surgical procedures such as Circumcision, “Vaginal Tightening” etc have been performed in the past, these procedures can reduce the elasticity of the vagina and such cases, the baby can’t come out. Any attempt to deliver through the vagina can lead to tearing and bleeding.
III. Child Reasons: they include
Fetal Distress: it means the life of the baby is under threat and needs to come out immediately. It’s an emergency. Once the doctor notices that the child is not breathing well, or moving well, he would advise for C-section because it wouldn’t be right to put a child that is already under stress through another stress.
Malpresentation: this means that the baby is not lying properly in the womb, at the time when labour is about to begin. The baby normally comes out with the head but there are times when the baby might have the buttocks, legs, and hands first and in that situation, a C-section is advised to avoid complications.
What does it mean to deliver like the “Hebrew Women”? It simply means mother and Child being safe. Having a C-section does not make you less of a woman!
