Risks for mother and baby during childbirth by cesarean section

Currently, many pregnant mothers have to give birth by cesarean section. This increases many potential risks to both pregnant mother and baby.

If you are prescribed a caesarean section , discuss the reasons why you have a caesarean section, and the potential benefits and risks of this form of delivery with your doctor. In some cases, the benefits of this method of delivery will be greater than when pregnant mothers give birth through the vagina.

In this article, aFamilyToday Health invites you to learn about the possible risks to pregnant mothers and fetuses at birth by caesarean section method.

The reason why pregnant mothers must give birth by cesarean section

Your doctor's appointment of you to give birth by caesarean section can be caused by the following reasons:

Premature rupture of the amniotic fluid

Each striker

The umbilical cord wraps the neck many times

Baby is artificially inseminated or in vitro

Negative pregnancy: Your baby is in the buttock or horizontal position

You had a cesarean section or you had an incision that took your baby upright rather than horizontally. These two cases often significantly increase the risk of a ruptured uterus during labor.

You have had surgery for the uterus, such as a surgical removal of a fibroid

You are pregnant with multiple pregnancies: Although some twins can be delivered by normal delivery, most pregnancies with multiple pregnancies are prescribed by your doctor to have a cesarean section. This is to ensure the health of mother and baby.

The fetus is too big: Obstetricians often appoint a cesarean section for pregnant mothers who are too big or pregnant with gestational diabetes or you have had a baby with a smaller size but the baby is seriously injured. weight during normal birth.

You have a large tumor that often makes it difficult to have birth or increases your risk.

A baby with a deformity, such as neural tube defects, makes giving birth often dangerous.

Pregnant mothers have poor health (cardiovascular disease) or a history of serious illness (having pre-eclampsia in previous births ...).

You have HIV and blood tests done near the end of your pregnancy show you have a high level of the virus in your body….

What are the risks of pregnant mothers when giving birth by cesarean section?

Caesarean section is a major surgery and, like many other types of surgery, there are potential risks involved. In fact, the death of pregnant women after cesarean section is quite rare, but obstetricians have estimated that the risk of death in pregnant women after cesarean delivery is higher than for women who deliver vaginally. However, the health conditions of pregnant mothers such as problems with heart, blood pressure ... can increase the risk of bad pregnancy if you choose to give birth through the vagina.

The need to conduct a cesarean section can make pregnant mothers face potential risks such as:

Obstetric infection: Caesarean section increases the risk of an infected mother getting an infection of the wound, uterus or nearby pelvic organs such as the bladder or kidneys. This has a great impact on the mother's health.

Increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

More blood loss than when giving birth through the vagina: The average amount of blood lost in pregnant women need a cesarean section is about twice as much as normal vaginal delivery. However, blood transfusions are rarely used because they are not absolutely necessary.

Decreased intestinal function / bowel movements: After a cesarean delivery, the intestines of pregnant mothers sometimes slow down for a few days. This usually leads to bloating, gas, and discomfort.

Respiratory complications: General anesthesia can sometimes lead to pneumonia after caesarean section.

Your hospital stay is longer and you also need a longer time to recover from your baby's birth compared to mums.

Reaction to anesthesia: The mother's health may be threatened by an unexpected reaction (such as a rapid drop in blood pressure) to anesthesia or other drugs used during surgery.

Risk of additional surgery: In some rare cases, pregnant mothers by caesarean section may have to have hysterectomy, bladder surgery ...

The risk of uterine adhesions and surrounding areas.

Decreased fertility in the future.

Increased risk of placenta when pregnant next time.

Increased risk of later births also require caesarean section.

Although rare, the risk of maternal death after cesarean section is possible due to obstetric complications.

Risks for your baby when born with surgery

To be born by caesarean method often make the baby lose the opportunity to be feeding  colostrum within the first few hours after birth. In addition, the baby also has to face many risks. The risks can be mentioned as:

Babies usually need care in the pediatric nursing room for cesarean deliveries (infant special care unit -NICU).

Preterm delivery : If the diagnosis of birth date is not correctly calculated by a doctor or you have a cesarean section without signs of delivery, the baby may be born too early.

Breathing problems: Babies who have a cesarean section are more likely to develop breathing problems such as transient tachypnea (abnormally fast breathing in the first few days after birth).

Low Apgar score: Babies born by cesarean section sometimes have low apgar scores . The fact that your baby has a low apgar score could be an effect of the anesthesia used during cesarean section (especially when general anesthesia is used), or the baby may have had trouble getting started. labor and that is why a caesarean section is performed.

Injured fetus: Although rare, the surgeon may accidentally hit the baby while performing the uterine incision of the mother.

Increased risk of asthma: Babies born by caesarean section have a higher risk of developing asthma than normal babies.

Increased risk of asthma allergy, hyperactivity (ADHD and autism): There are some suggestions that caesarean section increases these conditions because infants are not exposed to the vaginal microbiota. To help reduce this risk, some researchers are proposing to implement a process called vaginal sowing for cesarean babies Vaginal seeding for babies by cesarean section is a form that involves using a toothpick. The cotton swab takes the mother's vaginal fluid and wipes it through the baby's mouth, eyes, face, and skin immediately after birth The purpose of this action is to give the baby a chance to be exposed to microorganisms in the mother's vagina. to increase natural antibodies.

Questions that pregnant mothers should ask their doctor about caesarean section

If your doctor has told you to have a baby by cesarean section, talk to your doctor about the following:

If the cause of your surgery is too long labor, ask your doctor about:

Can you wait a little longer?

Is the baby in danger?

Are there signs of fetal failure or cloudy amniotic fluid?

Can you give birth without a caesarean?

If the cause of your surgery is your baby is too big, you should ask your doctor:

Are the results of the ultrasound assessment of the baby's size and weight accurate?

In this case, why is caesarean section better than normal delivery?

Is there any other option for you?

Should you wait for the signs of labor to begin caesarean section?

Although the method of caesarean section has potential risks, it does not mean that everyone who has a caesarean section has a bad problem. If your doctor has carefully reviewed the antenatal check-up book, medical records, clinical examination carefully and instructed you to give birth by surgical method, don't worry too much. In fact, doctors have considered carefully between giving you a regular birth or a caesarean section.