10 Medical Reasons a Pregnant Woman May Be Scheduled to Have a C-Section

A c-section, or cesarean section, is the delivery of a baby through a surgical incision in the mother’s abdomen and uterus. While some cesarean deliveries are scheduled ahead of time, others are performed as emergencies to save the life of mother and child due to various medical reasons.

The reasons for needing a caesarean section vary. In Africa, some people still think women who ended up having their babies via a C-Section were weak, lazy and incomplete. Not only is this ideology misleading and primitive, it is also shows a great deal of ignorance on the subject. Ceaserean section has saved and will continue to save lives. See a number of pregnancy conditions necessitating a c-section procedure. 

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1. Fibroids: Fibroids in the mouth of the cervix can be an obstruction to normal delivery. If your pregnancy is managed well then a planned cesarean section would be the option for a safe and sound delivery.

2. You’ve already had a caesarean section, and there were complications during the procedure. If there were no complications, a vaginal birth after a caesarean (VBAC) may be possible, and is successful in 70 per cent of cases.

3. A large baby. Sometimes your baby is too large (often, macrosomic) to move safely (if at all) through the birth canal (especially if you’ve gained more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy)

4. Your labour is long and slow (failure to progress) as your cervix isn’t opening enough to allow your baby to move down the birth canal.

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5. Breech position: When a baby is in the breech position, a cesarean delivery is often the only option, although a vaginal delivery can be done under certain circumstances. However, if the baby is in distress or has cord prolapse (which is more common in breech babies) a cesarean is necessary. A cesarean may also be done if the baby is premature.

6. You’re carrying multiples. A C-section might be needed if the babies are being born early or if there are other problems.

7. You have a health concern. A C-section might be recommended if you have health conditions, such as complex heart problems, high blood pressure requiring urgent delivery or an infection that could be passed to your baby during vaginal delivery — such as genital herpes or HIV.

8. Exhaustion or fetal distress. If your doctor determines you’re becoming too exhausted, or if the fetal monitor is picking up signs of fetal distress, he or she may opt for a cesarean.

9. Preeclampsia: This is a condition that is denoted with high blood pressure in the expectant mum during pregnancy. If it remains uncontrolled, this condition can prevent the placenta from receiving enough blood and the baby from getting enough oxygen.

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10. Umbilical cord prolapse. Your baby’s umbilical cord slips into the vagina where it could be squeezed or flattened during vaginal birth. This is called umbilical cord prolapse. The umbilical cord is the cord that connects your baby to the placenta. It carries food and oxygen from the placenta to the baby.

Whichever way a baby is born, in the end, what is important is to ensure a safe delivery for both mother and child.