If you are pregnant you might be wondering if you need a Caesarian section. Giving birth in this way has certainly become a very popular trend. More than thirty percent of all babies born today are delivered via 'the knife' – aka the Caesarean section. That is way more Caesarean sections then were performed a decade ago. However hospital equipment and personnel are more efficient and there is less than risk then there ever was of having surgical side affects after opting to have your child surgically removed from your body.
Cutting into the mother was a last resort until just recently. All babies were born vaginally and even if the baby was born breech the doctor would do his or her best to turn the child manually rather than perform surgery. Sometimes it was done if the pelvis was not soft enough during delivery.
The main reason they were ever performed was because the baby was in distress. An indication of this is if the baby's heart rate drops during a labor contraction. It is a sign too that the umbilical cord could be wrapped around the neck.
Another time a Caesarian is needed is if the baby is too big to be delivered through the birth canal. If the woman had a narrow pelvis surgery was required. Yet another concern was if the baby's head got stuck in the birth canal. These are the 'life or death' type situations under which a Caesarian is definitely to be administered, whether you like it or not.
Unless the doctor determines that a cesarean is medically necessary, most babies are delivered vaginally, which offers less chance of infection, less blood lost, less risk of infection and a shorter recuperation time. However you do have a choice nowadays and it may have to do with vanity or your desire to avoid natural childbirth.
Some women who have a vaginal births suffer from urinary or bowel incontinence afterwards. If it happened to your mother it could happen to you. This may be a good reason for you to choose a Caesarian section over vaginal birth.
However there are far more complications to the Caesarian birth including bleeding, infection, scarring, problems with the bowel and the usual surgical complications.
Choosing a cesarean section because it seems more convenient is normally not recommended by doctors. If you believe a c-section is more convenient than a vaginal birth, make a thorough study of the possible complications before you decide which birthing method is right for you and your baby.