Question

Cesearean section rates are on the rise. What are the pros and cons of this? Do you believe too many babies are being born via C-section in the United States?

Answer 1

• The rates of C-section deliveries have seen a considerable rise over the years, with China been cited as the country with highest number of C-sections -50% so as to quote. Indian women, specifically urban, and as many as 20%of them are also opting for elective caesareans, both to avoid pain and avail convenience.
• Some women find scheduling a delivery more convenient than waiting for the labor pain to kick in. It also gives them the flexibility of deciding on leaves etc.
• A C-section may be termed as convenient and preferred by many women, but even for a C-section, you need to wait for atleast 39 weeks of gestation.
• C section is a surgical procedure, and like it is with all surgeries, it will take some time to heal and will surely leave a woman at risk for some serious complications in case they have future pregnancies. At the end of the day, it involves cutting the woman’s abdomen and womb. It does have repercussions.
• Pros Of C-section:-
• Convenience of both the doctor and the patient, decreased risk on incontinence
• Decreased risk of sexual dysfunction
• Reduced risk of oxygen deficiency or birth trauma to the baby
• Sense of control, and planning in advance
  
• Cons of C-section:-
• Higher risks of infection, blood clotting, maternal blood loss, and damage to the mother’s bowels and/or bladder
• If pain was all that women were worried about, they are very likely to have abdominal pain and discomfort in the wound for a few weeks atleast.
• Possible complications with breastfeeding
• Risk of clinical postpartum depression
• Slightly higher mortality rate for the mother and twice the risk of infant mortality
• More expensive
• About 1 in 3 American babies are born via cesarean. And, according to a 2017 Consumer Reports study, about 26 percent of healthy women with low-risk pregnancies and full-term babies positioned headfirst and therefore typically considered equipped to deliver vaginally end up undergoing c-sections.
• It’s the most common surgical procedure in the US one that has skyrocketed over the last few decades.
• Some look toward shifts in demographics since the 1970s especially with more moms being older than before and more likely to have conditions like obesity, diabetes or heart disease to explain why things have changed since then.
• Unlike in many countries where surgery is a challenge, women in the US can elect to have a C-section. It gives them a lot more control over childbirth than waiting to go into labor naturally.