Cesarean birth  ( c-section ) is surgery in which the baby is born through an incision in the abdominal wall and uterus rather than the vagina. C – section is far safer than vaginal birth in certain circumstances.

If you don’t have any medical reason to have a cesarean birth, it is best to go through vaginal delivery.

What are the reasons for a cesarean birth ?

A cesarean birth may be planned or unplanned.

Reasons for a planned cesarean birth include :

• previous c section. However most people who have had a cesarean birth do qualify for vaginal birth (vaginal birth after cesarean VBAC) unless there were complications.
• severe preeclampsia
• placenta previa
• gestational diabetes
• breech presentation
• have a medical condition such as heart disease
• have infections such as HIV and genital herpes which can be passed on to the baby during vaginal delivery
• baby’s head is too large or a mother pelvis is too small to allow the baby to pass through – Cephalopelvic Disproportion (CPD)
• baby has a certain type of birth defects such as spina bifida
• multiple births involving three fetuses or more, twins that share one amniotic sac (monoamniotic twins), conjoined twins and  an overstretched uterus that cannot contract adequately during labor (uterine inertia),

Reasons for an emergency or unplanned cesarean birth include :

• labor failing to progress
• baby in distress
• uterine rapture
• umbilical cord prolapse

Can you schedule a cesarean birth ?

Yes, you can schedule a c-section if there are medical reasons to have a planned one. However, you have to wait for at least 39 weeks of pregnancy before scheduling a cesarean birth. This  gives your baby time to grow and develop before birth.