C section why is it scheduled

For this reason, vaginal births are recommended. Additionally, cesarean deliveries are usually scheduled for the medical reasons listed below. A scheduled surgery for nonmedical reasons is called an elective cesarean delivery, and your doctor may allow this option.

Some women prefer to deliver by surgery because it gives them more control in deciding when their baby is born. It can also reduce some anxiety of waiting for labor to start.

There are pros to a scheduled cesarean delivery, but there are also cons. Some health insurance plans also will not cover elective cesarean deliveries. A cesarean delivery might be scheduled by your doctor in advance of your due date.

Or it may become necessary during labor because of an emergency. It happens when a new mom is in labor for 20 hours or more. Babies that are too large for the birth canal, slow cervical thinning, and carrying multiples can all prolong labor. In these cases, doctors consider a cesarean to avoid complications. In order to have a successful vaginal birth, babies should be positioned headfirst near the birth canal.

But babies sometimes flip the script. You may need to wear compression stockings. You will then be prepared for the anaesthetic. The doctor will check the anaesthetic is working before the operation begins. Remember to take a bag for your stay in hospital and clothes for the baby. Ask your doctor whether it is OK for your partner or support person to bring a camera or to video the birth. If your baby is well, it is a good idea for you or your partner or support person to hold them straight away.

Skin to skin contact keeps the baby warm and helps with physical bonding. Remember that you will need time to recover after a caesarean. Plan to have plenty of help at home in the weeks after the surgery. About 1 in 10 women whose planned caesareans are scheduled for 39 weeks will go into labour first.

That means their waters break or their contractions start. If this happens, you will have an emergency rather than a planned caesarean. Call your hospital's maternity unit or delivery suite immediately if you are booked to have a planned caesarean and you go into labour.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Sometimes birth doesn't go as expected. If you or your baby are at risk, there might be a need to do an emergency caesarean. The cut is usually made low and around the level of the bikini line. Recovery after a caesarean section - whether it's an emergency or planned - will take several weeks. The cut is usually made across your tummy, just below your bikini line.

Around 1 in 4 pregnant women in the UK has a caesarean birth. Why caesareans are carried out A caesarean may be recommended as a planned elective procedure or done in an emergency if it's thought a vaginal birth is too risky. Planned caesareans are usually done from the 39th week of pregnancy. A caesarean may be carried out because: your baby is in the breech position feet first and your doctor or midwife has been unable to turn them by applying gentle pressure to your tummy, or you'd prefer they did not try this you have a low-lying placenta placenta praevia you have pregnancy-related high blood pressure pre-eclampsia you have certain infections, such as a first genital herpes infection occurring late in pregnancy or untreated HIV your baby is not getting enough oxygen and nutrients — sometimes this may mean the baby needs to be delivered immediately your labour is not progressing or there's excessive vaginal bleeding If there's time to plan the procedure, your midwife or doctor will discuss the benefits and risks of a caesarean compared with a vaginal birth.

Asking for a caesarean Some women choose to have a caesarean for non-medical reasons. What happens during a caesarean Most caesareans are carried out under spinal or epidural anaesthetic. During the procedure: a screen is placed across your body so you cannot see what's being done — the doctors and nurses will let you know what's happening a cut about 10 to 20cm long will usually be made across your lower tummy and womb so your baby can be delivered you may feel some tugging and pulling during the procedure you and your birth partner will be able to see and hold your baby as soon as they have been delivered if they're well — a baby born by emergency caesarean because of foetal distress may be taken straight to a paediatrician for resuscitation The whole operation normally takes about 40 to 50 minutes.

Find out more about how a caesarean is carried out Recovering from a caesarean Recovering from a caesarean usually takes longer than recovering from a vaginal delivery. Find out more about recovering from a caesarean Risks of a caesarean A caesarean is generally a very safe procedure, but like any type of surgery it carries a certain amount of risk.

Ambassadors Ambassadors Celebrity Advocate Council. Mission stories Spotlights Impact Stories. Medical reasons for a c-section. E-mail to a friend Please fill in all fields. Please enter a valid e-mail address. Thank you! Your e-mail was sent. Save to my dashboard Sign in or Sign up to save this page.

Saving Just a moment, please. You've saved this page It's been added to your dashboard. In This Topic. What is a c-section? What are medical reasons for a c-section?

The more c-sections you have, the greater your risk for pregnancy complications. This is called a VBAC. There are problems with the placenta, such as placenta previa , which can cause dangerous bleeding during vaginal birth. The placenta grows in your uterus and supplies the baby with food and oxygen through the umbilical cord.

You have an infection, like HIV or genital herpes. You can pass these infections to your baby during vaginal birth. So a c-section is safer for your baby. You have a medical condition that may make vaginal birth risky, like diabetes or high blood pressure. Diabetes is when you have too much sugar in your blood.