The cesarean section, like many modern medical procedures, has an important purpose that when used appropriately can save the life of a mother or that of her baby or both. That being said, there is no medical reason for a healthy first time mother to give birth via cesarean, or that it is necessary to mandate a woman with no underlying health risks to have a section because she has had one before. In fact, it may be more dangerous for a woman to have repeated C-sections instead of vaginal births after a cesarean (VBACs).
The cesarean section is a form of major surgery and like any other, it (usually) includes anesthesia and a warning of any associated risks (any potential complications during or after). While the medical community may provide people with information about the procedure and inform a woman about her options, a lot in the decision making will be affected by what an attendant thinks is necessary to keep a baby safe. These decisions are made based on factors like breach births or fetal distress, which may be, but are not always be an indication of alarm or an end-all for a vaginal delivery. I am not saying that high risk patients or emergency cesarean sections are unnecessary, but that the criteria for deciding on having a section are broadening and causing an increase in cesarean rates that should be cause for concern.
I believe that this increase is due in part to the belief that cesarean sections are a quicker and safer alternative than natural birth. What I believe to be underemphasized by the medical community when educating patients, is the impact a C-section can have on the birth experience and the toll it may take on a woman and her family during recovery. Typically, a woman who undergoes the procedure of a cesarean section have their arms strapped down as a safety precaution, their face shielded from the sight of the surgery, and are medicated to block the pain of the incisions, extraction and stitching. After a baby is taken out of their uterus, it may be hours before the mother gets to hold or feed her baby for the first time. Even after leaving the hospital a mother will feel discomfort, she is not permitted to move around very much, and is given a weight limit for things she can pick up or carry. And lastly, despite the recent innovation of the “bikini-cut,” physical and/or emotional scars are something that may stay with them forever.
Lesser reasons for this increase in frequency of cesareans may be the result of fear of pain and trauma with a vaginal delivery or the notion that vaginal delivery is antiquated. Although doctors do not always readily accept requests for cesareans from healthy pregnant women, it does still happen. I believe the most important take-away message from all of this is that vaginal delivery is a safe and natural experience for women who are not truly high-risk. Cesarean sections play an important role in helping those who are high-risk, but a completely unnecessary and potentially dangerous role for those who aren’t.
