However, the physical traumas caused by cesarean sections are often far greater than those caused by normal deliveries. Recovery is more difficult, complications abound, and bonding is sacrificed by surgical delivery. These reasons may cause you to think twice before you choose an elective c-section.
You are Three Times More Likely to have Severe Complications from an Elective C-Section.
Several studies have shown that elective surgical deliveries are associated with much higher rates of severe complications compared to vaginal deliveries. One very recent study concluded that women are three times more likely to have complications from elective C-sections, including very frightening morbidities like cardiac arrest, hemorrhage, and serious infections. Many of these complications are solved with hysterectomy.
You are More Likely to Die from an Elective C-Section than a Vaginal Birth.
A comprehensive review of statistics from 1990-2000 showed that American women who have cesarean sections have a mortality rate of one in 2,500. This is about four times the mortality rate of women who deliver vaginally, which was one in 10,000 during the nineties. While this number may be distorted by the fact that many women who have C-sections are already suffering medical problems, it is still too great of a difference to wholly dismiss.
An Elective C-Section can Interfere with Bonding.
Our maternal instincts were not designed to make room for the possibility of surgical birth-- it was the stuff of mythology until very recently. So the instincts associated with immediate post-birth bonding are often crippled by the unnatural nature of elective C-sections. Many studies have shown that improper bonding is likely following elective surgical delivery, and the bonding process often takes months instead of hours or days. Babies born by C-section also have difficulty latching for breastfeeding.
An Elective C-Section can Harm your Baby.
Babies born by cesarean section are more likely to have breathing problems, both short-term and long-term. Cesarean section often leads to difficulty breathing for moments, days, or even months because the biology of the lungs was not designed to handle abrupt, surgical delivery. Additionally, babies born by C-section are more likely to have asthma later in life, and much more likely to contract an infection in the hospital owing to longer hospital stays.
Elective C-Sections Can Complicate your Next Birth.
A recent study published in Obstetrics and Gynecology revealed that women who have had a previous C-section are much more likely to suffer complications during subsequent births. These complications, which can be life-threatening to both the mother and child, include placenta previa, uterine rupture, prolonged labor, preterm birth, and even stillbirth. Fertility problems are also much more likely in women who have had previous C-sections. You may find that vaginal birth the first time can protect the health of your second or third child.
You will Probably have a More Difficult Recovery after an Elective C-Section.
Finally, while many women have elective cesarean sections because they hope to have an easy way out, many are gravely disappointed by the difficulty of recovery following surgical delivery. Most women experience severe pain at the incision site, bowel problems, and decreased mobility. Others have more severe problems, like hernias and post-operative adhesions, which sometimes require minor surgery to correct. All of these make the weeks and months of postpartum recovery nearly unbearable, and can hinder proper bonding with your new baby.
Elective cesareans are deeply harmful and potentially dangerous for a number of reasons, and provide serious risks to both the mother and the baby. While surgical delivery is an important and miraculous development of modern medicine, and has saved the lives of millions of women and children, it is by no means the easy way out or the healthiest method for giving birth.
Vaginal delivery is not only safer than elective cesarean, but also much more enjoyable. There are few times in a woman's life that feel more empowering than the exhileration of giving birth, and it is especially rewarding with the understanding that it benefits both the mother and child. If you have any questions regarding the safety of your birth options, talk to your doctor, midwife, or nurse-practitioner to determine the best option for your situation.