A C-section is a way of delivering a baby by medical surgery that opens up the mother’s abdomen and uterus. The whole process is also known as a cesarean birth.

Though many women are certain ahead of time that they’ll have a C-section for some different reasons, you may plan to have a normal and safe vaginal birth only to find that your plan has to change.

During labor or delivery, your doctor might decide that you need to have a normal delivery or a C-section right away. This can be a sudden change if your health or your baby’s health takes a turn for the worse and it’s too risky for you to have major surgery. 

Why a cesarean delivery is done

Cesarean delivery is generally performed when complications from pregnancy make traditional vaginal birth difficult or put the mother or child's life in danger.

Sometimes the cesarean deliveries are planned during the early stages of the pregnancy, but they’re most often performed when complications arise during labor and doctors don’t have the chance to perform normal delivery.

Reasons for cesarean delivery include:

• The baby has some developmental conditions
• The Baby’s head is too big for the birth canal to pass-through
• The baby is coming out feet first (breech birth)
• Mother is having some Early pregnancy complications
• Mother is suffering from some health problems, such as high blood pressure or unstable heart disease
• Mother has active genital herpes that could be transmitted to the newborn baby
• Previous cesarean delivery
• Problems with the placenta, such as placental abruption 
• Problems with the umbilical cord
• Reduced oxygen supply to the embryo
• Stalled labor
• The baby is coming out shoulder first (transverse labor)

The risks of a cesarean delivery

Cesarean delivery is becoming a more common delivery type in today’s world, but it’s still a major surgery that carries major life complications for both mother and child. Vaginal birth still remains the preferred method for the lowest risk of complications. Some risks of cesarean delivery include:

• Bleeding
• Blood clots
• Breathing problems for the child, especially if delivery is done before 39 weeks of pregnancy
• Increased risks for future pregnancies
• Infection
• Injury to the child during surgery
• Longer recovery time compared with vaginal birth
• Surgical injury to other organs
• Adhesions, hernia, and other complications of abdominal surgery

 your doctor will surely discuss your birthing options before your due date to you. Your doctor will also be determining if you or your baby are showing any signs of complications that would require an immediate cesarean delivery.