C-sections are often seen as safe and relatively straightforward, compared with the 'unpredictability' of normal labour and birth. It is precisely this fear of normal birth, experienced by women and their care providers, that is helping to drive c-section rates up.
Some have attributed the significant rise in CS rates to the increase in older and more obese pregnant women (RANZCOG – AIHW releases data on caesarean section in Australia). Indeed, age ≥35 years and obesity can increase the chances of health issues including high blood pressure, diabetes, and multiple pregnancies.
Many pregnant people elect to have a C-section to allow them to plan around delivery or simply because they would prefer not to deliver vaginally. Others are pressured into surgery, or have their wishes ignored.
Australia's caesarean section rate was higher than the OECD average over this time and ranked 27th out of 34 OECD countries in 2017, with a rate of 33.7 per 100 live births (ranked from lowest to highest) (OECD 2019). In 2020, 37% of all women giving birth in Australia had a caesarean section (AIHW 2022).
Which Country Has the Most C-Sections Each Year? The country with the highest rate of C-sections each year is the country of Turkey, according to the most recent statistics.
Even though labor and vaginal birth can be hard work, they are generally easier on a woman's body than a cesarean. Recovery after vaginal birth is usually shorter and less painful than after a C-section, and allows the woman to spend more time with her baby.
“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.”
About 3 out of every 5 caesarean births in Australia are planned (elective). Sometimes health problems or pregnancy complications mean that a caesarean birth would be safer than a vaginal birth.
A C-section might be recommended for women with certain health issues, such as a heart or brain condition. There's a blockage. A large fibroid blocking the birth canal, a pelvic fracture or a baby who has a condition that can cause the head to be unusually large (severe hydrocephalus) might be reasons for a C-section.
Godson in 1884 performed the first operation in the UK where mother and baby survived. 21 In Australia the first successful caesarean section was performed by John Cooke at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne in 1885. His patient had a cancerous vaginal growth completely occluding the birth canal.
In some situations, a C-section is not only preferable but mandatory—situations involving conditions like placenta previa, in which going into labor would precipitate life-threatening hemorrhaging, or cord prolapse, which can cause the death of a baby if a C-section is not performed in a manner of minutes.
Fear of childbirth was the most common reason for cesarean birth preference, which was similar to previous studies [10,11,12,13, 15, 16]. Obstetricians should explore the fear, because fear of pain cannot be managed by cesarean section, which by itself will lead to pain afterwards.
You can say no to any medical procedure that a doctor or any other medical professional deems you should have. If a doctor advises you to have a c-section, you can say no and not have the procedure if that is your wish.
Babies born by Caesarean section have dramatically different gut bacteria to those born vaginally, according to the largest study in the field. The UK scientists say these early encounters with microbes may act as a "thermostat" for the immune system.
Cesarean Section Preparation and Anesthesia
Sometimes, your arms will be strapped down in a T-position away from your sides. This is done to prevent you from accidentally interfering with the surgery. You may also have a catheter placed.
Furthermore, emergency Cesarean section operations had a greater impact on neonates' sense of touch compared to those born by planned Cesarean section. Children born through emergency Cesarean section were prone to tactile resistance due to the experience of birth trauma.
Women who give birth via C-section have an increased risk of issues with subsequent pregnancies, including the risk of the incision scar tearing open during a later pregnancy or labor (uterine rupture), placenta previa (the growth of the placenta low in the uterus, blocking the cervix), placenta accreta, placenta ...
Cesarean section also requires a longer recovery time, and operative complications such as lacerations and bleeding may occur, at rates varying from 6% for elective cesarean to 15% for emergency cesarean.
Medicare Coverage for a C-Section
Since a C-section is performed in a hospital and requires a hospital stay during recovery, Medicare Part A benefits provide coverage to pregnant recipients who require this surgery for delivery of their baby.
A vaginal delivery is the safest and most common type of childbirth. Vaginal deliveries account for about 68% of all births in the United States. Most medical organizations and obstetricians recommend a vaginal delivery unless there is a medical reason for a C-section.
As you might expect, the difference between an unplanned Cesarean and an emergency Cesarean is urgency. Generally, this means there is an immediate safety concern for you or your baby, and immediate intervention is needed to keep you both as healthy and safe as possible.
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.
The actual operation usually takes between 30 and 60 minutes. It will involve: The doctor will make a cut in your abdomen and your uterus (both about 10 cm long). Your baby will be lifted out through the cut.
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.