 |
| Image Source: salon.com |
Caesarean section is recommended when vaginal delivery poses a risk for the mother or the baby. In the U.S., about a third of births are done by C-section, and most of those are performed on first-time mothers.
Although caesarean delivery is a widely accepted procedure across the country, what has been a cause for concern for The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is the rapid increase in the number of caesarean births from 1996 to 2011. There has been a 60 percent jump in C-sections since the 1990s even “without clear evidence of concomitant decrease in maternal or neonatal morbidity or mortality.” And this all too frequent recourse to C-sections prompted ACOG to release new guidelines to reduce caesarean deliveries among first-time mothers.
| Image Source: carefair.com |
Childbirth by its very nature carries risks for the mother and the baby regardless of delivery method. Although caesarean delivery could be a life-saving procedure especially in cases such as placenta previa, a condition wherein the placenta develops in the lowest part of the uterus and partially or completely blocks the cervix, or uterine rupture, which is a fatal complication, its use among women with relatively problem-free pregnancies poses greater risk of maternal morbidity and mortality than vaginal delivery.
What the guidelines now suggest is that first-time mothers be allowed to push for at least three hours. And if they are given epidural, mothers could push even longer. They also recommend techniques that aid vaginal delivery such as the use of forceps. Moreover, the rules stress that early labor should also be given more time, with the start of active labor redefined to cervical dilation of six centimeters rather than four.
 |
| Image Source: tpr.org |
Changes could be tough to embrace, but if they translate to safer childbirth and better overall health for women, then they could be easily received.
Shelley Binkley is a Michigan-based obstetrician-gynecologist specializing on miscarriage, post-partum depression, and pregnancy-related obesity, among others. Receive updates on women’s and reproductive health by subscribing to this Facebook page.
