Obstetricians Choosing Elective Cesarean Sections
An article from Britain reports on the trend for obstetricians to choose a cesarean section for the birth of their own babies. Doctors who deliver babies day in, day out, see all the complications of births, and cite everything that can go wrong with delivering a baby vaginally as why they choose to deliver a baby by cesarean.
An estimated 35% of UK doctors prefer an elective c-section for their own babies, and 50% of American doctors.
Compare that to around 25% of all births are by cesarean section in the UK, and around 30% in the USA.
While vaginal births can and often do go wrong, necessitating an emergency cesarean, the surgical option is not risk free. Cesarean sections can go wrong too: bleeding, infections, blood clots, a risk of damage to other internal organs, a higher risk of some complications in subsequent pregnancies, and rarely, death. Babies born by cesarean section often need more care than babies born vaginally. Cesarean sections also require a longer recovery time than vaginal births.
So neither way of getting the baby out is perfect. And in the western world, it is very rare for babies to die and incredibly rare for mothers to die during childbirth, whichever method they and their doctor choose.
Humans are unique in having all these problem in labor becase we walk upright, and have big brains – and big heads. Animals who walk on all fours can naturally have a much larger pelvis, and offspring with smaller heads in proportion to their bodies.
For humans to walk upright, women have to have smaller pelvises. And the evolutionary advantage of being brainy (and big headed) has to be balanced against the increase risk on childbirth.
Childbirth in humans is a compromise, and it’s no wonder it goes wrong sometimes. I don’t need to tell you a horror story – you might have one yourself, or you probably know someone who has one, or you can read about our own blogger SciFi Dad’s tale of his wife’s delivery of their first child.
I can see the point of an obstetrician, who sees minor, major and life-threatening complications in vaginal births every day, to pick an elective cesarean section as the safer option. But it doesn’t inspire confidence in patients, or confidence in women’s ability to birth a baby naturally.
Because it goes right a lot as well, and I’ve heard so many inspiring, powerful stories of natural childbirth from women I know.
We are lucky it’s 2008 and we can make the choice of how we want to give birth, and we have access to modern medical care. Today, the risks of serious complication in vaginal deliveries and cesarean sections are both very small, and mothers can make their own decision, considering their medical history, and in consultation with their obstetrician.
I don’t think there’s a wrong or a right way to give birth, as long as the end result is a healthy and safe mom and baby.
Would you, or have you, chosen an elective cesarean section? Or do you think all women should attempt to deliver vaginally unless there’s a medical reason for a cesarean? Tell us in the comments below…
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Holly Tried It says...
I had an emergency c-section after a long labor. I don’t recommend c-sections. The recovery is long, and it’s difficult to care for your child for several weeks. You definitely need help! And, it’s been two years, and the scar still itches!
A c-section is major surgery. Would you choose to have a tonsillectomy on the same day you had a baby? No. So choosing an elective c-section just doesn’t make sense to me.
But I don’t do well with medicine.
Holly Tried Its last blog post..The Diaper Debate: Are Disposables as Green as Cloth?
SciFi Dad says...
Really, when you link to an eight part series (technically nine if you count the follow-up where I discuss our decision to have an elective C with #2), I shouldn’t have to comment.
However, I’ll just add this: delivery, like many parts of the process of becoming a parent, is an exercise in adapting to change, in being flexible in both a literal and a figurative sense. Going in with an open mind, and the knowledge that no amount of planning and preparation can completely prepare you for what is about to come (even with subsequent babies), is the best approach, at least from where I stand.
FYI says...
I have been curious and have not yet found if have a cesarean section affects teh likelyhood of post birth urinary incontinence. It is said that 1 in 3 new mothers have this condition. Does having a cesarean lessen the possibility of being urinary incontinent after giving birth?
It’s very common to be incontinent during pregnancy so I’m curious how this situation fits in.
If I find more information on it, I’ll post here to let you know my findings if you are interested as well.
Have a great day!
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