PREGNANCY & MOTHERHOOD
What Every Pregnant Woman
Should Know About C-Section
NAPSI

If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, you may be contemplating what kind of birth your baby will have. As you learn about pregnancy, labor and delivery, you will see that there are many options, especially if you are a healthy woman who doesn't need special care for medical conditions. Historically, women expected to give birth vaginally unless a medical problem made Cesarean section a better choice. Now, however, the Cesarean rate is higher than ever and it's rising. Non-medical factors, including changing attitudes of women and their caregivers and the belief that Cesarean is the safer choice, play a role.

To help women make the most informed choices, the Maternity Center Association (MCA), the oldest national organization advocating on behalf of mothers and babies, conducted a review of more than 300 of the best research studies on the different ways of giving birth. MCA found that women who undergo a Cesarean section are at significantly higher risk than women who have a vaginal birth for infection, re-hospitalization and poor birth experience.

Babies delivered by Cesarean section are less likely to be breastfed and are at significantly higher risk than babies delivered vaginally for breathing problems and asthma in childhood and in adulthood. In addition, there is an increased likelihood of serious problems for mothers and babies in future pregnancies, including infertility, ectopic pregnancy, placenta problems and fetal death.

"Cesarean section is an essential element of care in a small proportion of emergency situations. In many other situations, risks to mothers and babies may far outweigh benefits," said Maureen Corry, executive director of MCA.

There are many things women can do to avoid the risks of unnecessary interventions during labor and birth:

• Choose a caregiver with a conservative practice style and good success with spontaneous vaginal birth and a birth setting with low rates of medical interventions
• Arrange for a trained or experienced woman who will provide continuous supportive care during labor (for example, a doula)
• Avoid harmful maternity practices (e.g., episiotomy and lying on the back for pushing), whenever possible
• Understand what is at stake with different birth options and make informed childbirth decisions.

A new booklet, "What Every Pregnant Woman Needs to Know About Cesarean Section" (http://www.maternitywise.org/cesareanbooklet/), discusses risks and benefits of different ways of giving birth and offers tips for limiting avoidable harm. [NAPSI]

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