Complications and risks of C-sections

Posted in Birth Injuries, Firm News on December 1, 2018

According to March of Dimes, a doctor may schedule a cesarean section if there are problems during your pregnancy that may make vaginal birth risky for mom, baby or both. If a person has a healthy pregnancy, and if the delivery doctor does not detect any issues that may make vaginal birth a dangerous option, the doctor will likely recommend vaginal birth.

Though a health care provider will only recommend a C-section to protect the health of a baby and his or her mother, the procedure is not without risks. According to Web-MD, there are several risks associated with cesarean sections. The dangers to mothers include blood clot, adverse reaction to anesthesia and hemorrhaging. Mothers who undergo C-section deliveries also stand to develop an infection, injury to their intestines or bladder, inflammation of the uterus and amniotic fluid embolism. They may also experience complications with future pregnancies.

The threats to babies are far fewer during a C-section than they are to mothers. Labor and delivery doctors generally perform C-sections to protect baby from harm, and to prevent complications that would otherwise occur during vaginal birth. However, that does not necessarily mean that C-section deliveries are 100 percent safe for babies. If a doctor performs a C-section before 39 weeks, the baby has a high chance of developing breathing issues. This is because labor serves to help clear a baby’s lungs of amniotic fluid. There is also a small risk that a labor and delivery doctor will accidentally harm a baby during the procedure. Though uncommon, there are reports of doctors accidentally nicking or scraping a baby during a routine C-section.