Cesarean section (CS/C-section) is a surgical approach adopted when normal vaginal delivery is difficult, hazardous or almost impossible. Any instance of real or perceived harm to mother or baby from vaginal delivery calls for a Cesarean section.
Millions of Cesarean sections are performed globally every year, with advanced countries taking a lion share. In African countries, the story is a little different. The level of acceptance of Cesarean section is not as high as in advanced countries. The difference in acceptance levels might be affected by the perceived advantages and disadvantages of Cesarean section.
Advantages of Cesarean section
- Having a C-section is often a life-saving procedure, which could salvage the life of the mother and the baby. In some conditions, such as placental abruption or placenta previa, where there is massive bleeding, an emergency C-section is needed to save both lives.
- For many women, the first advantage of having a C-section is that it spares them the long hours of painful labor and contractions that come with normal vaginal delivery. C-section goes straight into the delivery of the baby with or without labor.
- Cesarean section is associated with a much lower risk of sexual dysfunction and incontinence that are at times associated with the birth of a baby through normal vaginal delivery.
- Some babies born through normal vaginal delivery stand the risk of traumatic birth, including birth injuries and asphyxia, during their passage through the birth canal. Having a Cesarean section lowers this risk.
The disadvantages or cons of a C-section are associated with the risks of the procedure. These may include:
- The risk of infections: Wound infections are a common complication of a C-section. This may arise from poor personal hygiene or poor post-delivery hospital care. Wound infections come with fever, discharge from the wound site, and pain around the wound area.
Scarification: Although this depends on the surgical technique and cosmetic approach used, you may have a visible scar left in the site of surgical incision.
- Excessive Bleeding: In some situations, such as when the womb does not contract well enough after delivery or when some blood vessels are injured by surgical instruments, you may bleed excessively to the point of needing blood transfusion.
- Long Recovery Period: The average stay in the hospital after a cesarean delivery is 3 to 4 days compared to about 1-2 days after normal vaginal delivery. Thereafter, you have several weeks of recovery after discharge from the hospital. You need to avoid certain activities during this period to avoid breakdown of the surgical wound. After a vaginal delivery, post-discharge recovery may not take this long.
Take-home message: Very popular in developing countries and gaining acceptability in Africa, cesarean section is a life-saving procedure that comes with its risks and benefits.
Speak with your doctor about the risks and benefits of the procedure vis-à-vis what would work best for you before deciding which mode of delivery you wish to have.
