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Phone (949)-720-9848
e-Mail experts@obgyn-newportbeach.com
We speak your language – english, spanish, arabic, romanian
While in most cases vaginal delivery is the most natural and uncomplicated way to deliver a baby, more and more women are opting for Cesarean Sections.
Today C-sections make up about 30% of all births. Since every woman can choose how they would like their delivery, it is important to understand the risks and advantages of both options. Here are the pros and cons for natural birthing and c-section deliveries.
There are some situations where c-section is safer for mother and child, sometimes lifesaving. The same is true of interventions with vaginal birth. However, the vast majority of women and babies are safer with a vaginal birth and no interventions.
There are possibly a lot of questions in your head such as ‘which delivery method would be safe for my baby,’ ‘is it going to be painful,’ or ‘how long would it take?’ and so on. Well, that’s normal, and you would be relieved once you see your baby.
As you near the delivery date, you should know in detail about the two childbirth procedures: normal or vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery. Knowledge of the procedures will help you anticipate what happens when the time is due and help you deal with anxiety and fear. In this MomJunction post, we will tell you about the benefits and risks of the two procedures and also answer some childbirth-related questions.
The most common option for delivery, vaginal delivery is known to have fewer risks than a c-section. According to the WHO, 70% to 80% of pregnant women who enter into labor are at low risk and can probably deliver vaginally. That’s perhaps why vaginal delivery is often called as normal delivery. It is also considered as the natural birth procedure because the labor starts on its own, signifying that the baby is ready to come into the world. That said, not all normal deliveries may be safe. There may be certain limitations along with the advantages too, which we talk about next.
For The Mother
For The Baby
If there are any complications during labor, vaginal delivery can also pose risks for the mom and the baby.
For The Mother
For The Baby
Usually, vaginal delivery is safe for the baby. However, in rare cases (difficult birth, prolonged delivery, the baby is too large for gestational age), there could be risks of mild injuries that could be resolved a few weeks after the birth. In case there are more risks than benefits related to vaginal delivery, the doctors suggest cesarean birth.
The rate of cesarean delivery in the US is growing for varied reasons. Cesarean or c-section delivery is a surgical procedure, wherein an incision is made through the abdomen and uterus of the mother. When vaginal delivery is not considered safe, the doctor’s have to go with this method of childbirth.
Like vaginal birth, cesarean delivery also has its own advantages and disadvantages. More about it in the following section.
For The Mother
For The Baby
For The Mother
For The Baby
If you have had a previous cesarean delivery, you have two choices about how to give birth again:
A Trial of Labor after Cesarean (TOLAC) is the attempt to have a VBAC. If it is successful, TOLAC results in a vaginal birth. If it is not successful, you will need another cesarean delivery.
A successful VBAC has the following benefits:
For women planning to have more children, VBAC may help them avoid certain health problems linked to multiple cesarean deliveries. These problems can include bowel or bladder injury, hysterectomy, and problems with the placenta in future pregnancies. If you know that you want more children, this may figure into your decision.
Some risks of a VBAC are infection, blood loss, and other complications. One rare but serious risk with VBAC is that the cesarean scar on the uterus may rupture (break open). Although a rupture of the uterus is rare, it is very serious and may harm both you and your fetus. If you are at high risk of rupture of the uterus, VBAC should not be tried.
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