C section at Medanta Hospital

A C-section, or cesarean section (also spelled as a cesarean section), is a type of operation used to deliver a baby. The baby is surgically removed through an incision in the mother's abdomen and then a second incision in the womb.

Nearly one in four pregnant women in the world gave birth by cesarean section in 2018. But in the early 1990s, about one in five pregnant women had a baby this way.

These increased rates of the cesarean section have been associated with various factors, from rising rates of obesity and diabetes to multiple births and increased maternal age.

Other reasons for high C-section rates include the use of epidurals and labor-inducing techniques, which can cause complications that can result in the need to perform a surgical delivery.

C section Risks (C section at Medanta Hospital)

Possible c-section risks to you include:
infection of the wound or the lining of the womb
bleeding that leads to a blood transfusion or having the womb removed
problems getting pregnant in the future
problems in future pregnancies, such as low-lying placenta, miscarriage, placenta accreta, and stillbirth

Although Caesarean births can be life-saving for both mother and baby, the gynecologists have expressed concern that C-section deliveries are being used excessively and have recommended ways to lower the national rate.

These new guidelines call for most low-risk women to be allowed to spend more time in the first stage of delivery and to encourage women to avoid excessive weight gain during pregnancy.

The key to reducing high C-section rates in India is to prevent unnecessary initial C-sections. Today, the majority of women who delivered their first baby via C-section will end up repeating the C-section somewhere on the road.

A woman who has already had a C-section before a previous birth has a 90 percent chance of giving birth again by a C-section.

However, researches have shown that women who have had C-coupes and try to give birth to their next children vaginally, which researchers call a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean section), may then have a relatively low number of complications, such as blood transfusions or unplanned hysterectomies, compared to women who have planned a C-section.

One way to potentially reduce C-section rates in this country is to educate women about the benefits of vaginal delivery, says Bryant.

The following information will explain what is in a C-section and how a woman can feel before, during and after this operation.

Before the operation (C section at Medanta Hospital)
To prepare for the operation, a drip is placed in a woman's arm or hand to give her the fluids and medication she needs during the operation. Her lower abdomen is washed and her pubic hair can be trimmed.

A catheter (tube) is placed in the bladder of a woman to remove urine, and it stays there one day after surgery.

Women usually receive regional anesthesia, either an epidural or spinal block, which both numb the lower half of her body, but allow the mother to wake up when her baby is born. This is usually safer than general anesthesia. Where a woman would fall asleep completely during labor.

How a C section is done (C section at Medanta Hospital)

The midwife uses a knife to make a horizontal incision in the skin and abdominal wall, usually along the bikini line, meaning that it is low enough on the pelvis that it would be covered by underwear or bikini pants. Some women can get a vertical or up-and-down cut.

After the abdomen is opened, an incision is made in the womb. Usually, a side-by-side (horizontal) cut is made, which tears the amniotic sac around the baby. Once this protective membrane has ruptured, the baby is removed from the womb, the umbilical cord is cut and the placenta is removed. The baby is examined and then returned to the mother for skin-to-skin contact.

After delivery and after birth are completed, the wounds in the mother's womb are repaired with sutures that will eventually dissolve under the skin. The abdominal skin is closed with stitches or with staples, which are removed before a woman leaves the hospital.

A woman usually spends 60 to 120 minutes in the operating room for a C-section, depending on whether complications occur during delivery.

After the operation, a woman is taken to the maternity ward of the hospital to recover.

Repairing a C section (C section at Medanta Hospital)
After a C-section, a woman can spend between 2 and 4 days in the hospital, but it can take up to 6 weeks to feel more like herself again.

Her lower abdomen will feel sore after surgery and the skin and nerves in this area will need time to heal. Women get pain killers to remove the edge of post-operative pain and most women use this medication about 2 weeks afterward.

A woman may also bleed for approximately 4 to 6 weeks after a surgical delivery. She is also advised not to have sex a few weeks after her C-section and also to avoid heavy activities, such as lifting heavy objects.

To know more about your specific condition, please visit an Gynecologist in a a trusted hospital close to you.