|
|||||||||||
 |
Healthy You Archives Healthy You Archives |
Just for Women
All About C-SectionsOnce used only for emergencies, Cesareans are becoming more common
'I Felt the C-Section was Safer"Heather Fotopoulos of Allentown thought hard about whether she wanted a vaginal birth experience for her second delivery, but decided on caution. She’s shown with (l-r) Theodora, Elizabeth and Nicholas.
‘Visit’ the Center for Mother and Baby Care When Fotopoulos became pregnant again, she found herself in a quandary. Should she try to give birth vaginally or schedule another Cesarean? After talking over the pros and cons with her obstetrician, she scheduled another C-section for the birth of daughter Elizabeth on May 17, 2005. In years past, many obstetricians would have encouraged Fotopoulos to deliver vaginally because of this overriding fact: the risk of the mother dying from a C-section is 1-in-10,000, compared to 1-in-100,000 for a vaginal birth. But recent studies show that sometimes a C-section is the safer course, says obstetrician Michael Sheinberg, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. For example, breech babies like Nicholas are three times more likely to die during or just after a vaginal birth than a C-section. “Also, women who’ve had a previous C-section are at slightly higher risk for uterine rupture with a subsequent vaginal delivery,” he says. “C-section rates have been creeping up over the years, and skyrocketing during the past five,” says Sheinberg’s colleague, maternal fetal (high-risk childbirth) specialist L. Wayne Hess, M.D. Medical knowledge and malpractice insurance pressures are not the only forces behind the rising rate. An increasing number of pregnant mothers demand the procedure. Some of these women want the convenience of knowing when their baby will be born, others worry that a vaginal birth will affect their bladder control long-term. Researchers haven’t yet proven whether vaginal births contribute to incontinence, but some experts believe they do. “You only need to stretch a nerve 17 percent to cause damage,” says urogynecologist Valerie Riley, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “A vaginal delivery stretches pelvic floor nerves 500 percent, and repeated deliveries compound the problem. The muscles that support the pelvis rely on intact nerves to stay strong.” So when is a C-section justified? Clearly, when the mother’s or baby’s health is at stake—but for all other cases, Hess and Sheinberg advise, a vaginal birth still is generally the better option. “Recovering from childbirth is hard enough without recovering from surgery, too,” Sheinberg says. “Many people think a C-section isn’t a big deal, but it’s the same as having a hysterectomy or appendectomy. We do it well and we do it often, but it is major surgery, complete with the risks and long-term effects.”
Want to Know More about what happens during a C-section and precautions you can take to reduce your risk for complications? Click here. This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
ARTICLE TOOLS:
|
 September October 2005 Eating Healthy
Staying Fit
Caring for Mind and Body
Just for Women
Just for Men
Raising a Family
Heart of Healthy You
Protecting Your Health
Coping with Illness
Aging Well
Keeping Up to Date
Weight Control
|
|
||||
|
|
|
||||||
