Pregnant and hoping to avoid a C-section? You’ll be happy to know that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recently updated their guidelines to better support the outcomes of vaginal birth.
Cesarean delivery (C-section) is used to deliver a baby through surgical incisions made in the abdomen and uterus. Planning for a C-section might be necessary if there are certain pregnancy complications. Women who have had a C-section might have another C-section. Often, however, the need for a first-time C-section isn’t clear until after labor starts.
If you’re pregnant, knowing what to expect during and after cesarean delivery can help you prepare.
In the past, some doctors would consider a C-section if a woman didn’t deliver two hours after being fully dilated. Now, doctors are doing things like giving patients up to four or five hours in order to give them the chance to deliver vaginally.
But it’s important to know that there are three main reasons a C-section may become necessary. However, these reasons are largely out of your control.
We call them the THREE P’s of labor.
Power
How regular and powerful are the contractions? Moreover, moving the baby out requires the force and compression of a hearty contraction. Some women don’t have regular contractions. That’s why we use Pitocin, a drug that induces contractions. If that doesn’t do the trick, we consider a Cesarean delivery.
Passenger
How is the baby positioned? If it’s breech or not properly situated to maneuver through the birth canal or there is more than one fetus, it may be necessary to do a Cesarean delivery.
Passageway
The shape of your pelvis affects whether your baby can go through it. However, some pelvises are shaped in such a way that no amount of contractions or pushing or good baby position is going to allow for a vaginal delivery.