Caesarean section

Caesarean section, also known as C-section, cesarean, or caesarean delivery, is the <a href="/facts/Surgery/fG8tWf5Y">surgical procedure</a> by which one or more babies are <a href="/facts/Childbirth/KaWFJ4kG">delivered</a> through an incision in the mother's abdomen. It is often performed because <a href="/facts/Vaginal_delivery/jFRdDr6k">vaginal delivery</a> would put the mother or child at risk (of paralysis or even death). Reasons for the operation include, but are not limited to, <a href="/facts/Obstructed_labor/8VJ5taCW">obstructed labor</a>, <a href="/facts/Twin_pregnancy/9QSssff4">twin pregnancy</a>, <a href="/facts/Pre-eclampsia/FG1BrbC8">high blood pressure</a> in the mother, <a href="/facts/Breech_birth/sHoU32fA">breech birth</a>, <a href="/facts/Shoulder_presentation/H5Xmsezv">shoulder presentation</a>, and problems with the <a href="/facts/Placenta/7XUoks1b">placenta</a> or <a href="/facts/Umbilical_cord/WIBgdrmF">umbilical cord</a>. A caesarean delivery may be performed based upon the shape of the mother's <a href="/facts/Pelvis/8Fq9z3TY">pelvis</a> or history of a previous C-section. A trial of <a href="/facts/Vaginal_birth_after_previous_C-section/90abYABL">vaginal birth after C-section</a> may be possible. The <a href="/facts/World_Health_Organization/YNN3bgug">World Health Organization</a> recommends that caesarean section be performed only when medically necessary.
A C-section typically takes 45 minutes to an hour. It may be done with a <a href="/facts/Spinal_block/lGtF5kRs">spinal block</a>, where the woman is awake, or under <a href="/facts/General_anesthesia/bv3Yzcz7">general anesthesia</a>. A <a href="/facts/Urinary_catheter/CPDeotjh">urinary catheter</a> is used to drain the <a href="/facts/Bladder/g8Khaf7A">bladder</a>, and the skin of the <a href="/facts/Abdomen/HcTzDFL0">abdomen</a> is then cleaned with an <a href="/facts/Antiseptic/ua05WK9M">antiseptic</a>. An <a href="/facts/Pfannenstiel_incision/oCLdY9sJ">incision</a> of about 15 cm (6 inches) is then typically made through the mother's lower abdomen. The <a href="/facts/Uterus/LIrApMXs">uterus</a> is then opened with a second incision and the baby delivered. The incisions are then <a href="/facts/Surgical_suture/Pk3D50by">stitched</a> closed. A woman can typically begin <a href="/facts/Breastfeeding/cdWXyYDX">breastfeeding</a> as soon as she is out of the <a href="/facts/Operating_room/zydvRK06">operating room</a> and awake. Often, several days are required in the hospital to recover sufficiently to return home.
C-sections result in a small overall increase in poor outcomes in low-risk pregnancies. They also typically take about six weeks to heal from, longer than vaginal birth. The increased risks include breathing problems in the baby and <a href="/facts/Amniotic_fluid_embolism/MTP1jC29">amniotic fluid embolism</a> and <a href="/facts/Postpartum_bleeding/VFqNRNQF">postpartum bleeding</a> in the mother. Established guidelines recommend that caesarean sections not be used before 39 <a href="/facts/Gestational_age_(obstetrics)/vc7N6jJV">weeks of pregnancy</a> without a medical reason. The method of delivery does not appear to affect subsequent <a href="/facts/Sexual_function/CFmz8GVN">sexual function</a>.
In 2012, about 23 million C-sections were done globally. The international healthcare community has previously considered the rate of 10% and 15% ideal for caesarean sections. Some evidence finds a higher rate of 19% may result in better outcomes. More than 45 countries globally have C-section rates less than 7.5%, while more than 50 have rates greater than 27%. Efforts are being made to both improve access to and reduce the use of C-section. In the United States as of 2017, about 32% of deliveries are by C-section.
The surgery has been performed at least as far back as 715 BC following the death of the mother, with the baby occasionally surviving. A popular idea is that the Roman statesman <a href="/facts/Julius_Caesar/ptR603Gv">Julius Caesar</a> was born via caesarean section and is the namesake of the procedure, but if this is the true etymology, it is based on a misconception: until the modern era, C-sections seem to have been invariably fatal to the mother, and Caesar's mother <a href="/facts/Aurelia_(mother_of_Caesar)/AYhloxXY">Aurelia</a> not only survived her son's birth but lived for nearly 50 years afterward. There are many ancient and medieval legends, oral histories, and historical records of laws about C-sections around the world, especially in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The first recorded successful C-section (where both the mother and the infant survived) was performed on a woman in Switzerland in 1500 by her husband, <a href="/facts/Jacob_Nufer/D8Agu31r">Jacob Nufer</a>, though this was not recorded until 8 decades later. With the introduction of antiseptics and <a href="/facts/Anesthetics/0xG7I2ou">anesthetics</a> in the 19th century, the survival of both the mother and baby, and thus the procedure, became significantly more common.

Caesarean section open-in-new

Caesarean section