Cesarean birth is associated with a higher rate of injury to abdominal organs (bladder, bowel, blood vessels), infections (wound, uterus, urinary tract), and thromboembolic (blood clotting) complications than vaginal birth.
A C-section puts more stress on your body than a vaginal delivery. Besides the general recovery after birth, you'll also have an incision with stitches to heal. The full recovery process varies from person to person, but on average, it takes six to eight weeks for physical healing.
There has been some research into how c-sections affect the long-term health of children. There is limited evidence that children born by c-section may have a higher risk of childhood asthma up to the age of 5 and obesity up to the age of 12. The reason for this increased risk is not clear.
If there is any disruption in the healing process, like re-injury or even poor nutrition, inflammation can persist and even lead to abnormal or delayed wound healing, excessive scar tissue, or adhesions (when scar tissue joins places in the body together that normally shouldn't be together), which can all increase the ...
Each repeat C-section is generally more complicated than the last. However, research hasn't established the exact number of repeat C-sections considered safe. Women who have multiple repeat cesarean deliveries are at increased risk of: Problems with the placenta.
During a C-section, your organs are usually just moved aside so that the doctor can see your uterus better. But the organs stay within the abdominal cavity and aren't taken out. In rare cases, the intestines may be temporarily lifted out for better visualization and space to operate, but not permanently.
“So, every patient is different and every case is unique. However, from the current medical evidence, most medical authorities do state that if multiple C-sections are planned, the expert recommendation is to adhere to the maximum number of three.”
Cesarean Complications and Risks for Mother
Infection: Infection can occur at the incision site, in the uterus and in other pelvic organs such as the bladder. Hemorrhage or increased blood loss: There is more blood loss in a cesarean delivery than with a vaginal delivery.
If you have any of the following symptoms, call your doctor right away: Chest pain or difficulty breathing. Fever over 100.4 degrees F. Heavy or continuous bleeding around your incision.
Nearly a third of C-sections are performed due to failure to progress. If your baby is turned the wrong way, the head is too large to fit through the pelvis, or the baby's head is in the wrong position, a Cesarean birth might be the best choice to avoid further complications.
C-section is associated with delayed colonization of the Bacteroidetes phylum, reduced diversity of total microbiota and decreased Th1 responses in the first two years after birth (Jakobsson et al., 2013). Intestinal epithelial cells mediate the crosstalk between gut microbiota and host immune responses.
Some women do experience symptoms related to their C-section scar long after the operation. Some women feel pain, restriction, or a pulling sensation on or around their scar months or even years after surgery. This is normally due to the build-up of scar tissue which can stick to muscles or even organs and cause pain.
C-sections are more likely to cause chronic pelvic pain. You're more likely to have a C-section in future pregnancies. Your baby may have trouble breastfeeding. Your baby may be at greater risk for breathing problems.
If you're having a second C-section, normally your surgeon will attempt to cut through the same scar. This might not be possible if there's lots of scar tissue in the area, or if the scar tissue is too thick to cut through.
Once the baby is delivered the uterus is closed with a double layer of stitching. Four of the five remaining layers are stitched with a single layer of stitching, but one layer is not restitched as it heals better – with no buckling and reduced chance of scar tissue developing, without restitiching.
There's usually no limit to the number of caesarean sections you can have. But the more caesareans you have, the longer each operation will take and the higher your risk of serious complications becomes. You will have scar tissue where your wounds have healed after each operation.
Common signs of an internal or uterus infection after a C-section include: A fever over 100.4ºF degrees. Increasing abdominal pain. Chills, fatigue, body aches, or flu-like symptoms.
Your postpartum belly won't instantly go back to how it was before you were pregnant – it's a process that can take months or even years, while some bellies may take on a different shape permanently.
Delivering a baby by C-section involves your doctor cutting horizontally through layers of your nerves, muscle and tissue. Naturally, your stomach and core are likely to look and feel very different in the weeks, months and even years after surgery.
Kristina House (USA) has given birth to 11 children (six girls and five boys) all by Caesarean section between 15 May 1979 and 20 November 1998.
This gradually began to change towards the end of the 19th century as germ theory and modern bacteriology developed. By the start of the 20th century, the advancement of anesthesia and antisepsis had made C-sections practical and safe enough for doctors to start focusing on refining and improving the procedure.