Are We Blind to the Risks of Having Babies by Caesearean?

Have we become blind to the risks of having babies by caesearean without any true medical need? During this guide, we explore the risks of caesearean delivery and the importance of vaginal births.

MEMS: Have we become blind to the risks of having babies by caesearean without any true medical need? During this guide, we explore the risks of caesearean delivery and the importance of vaginal births.

Are We Blind to the Risks of Having Babies by Caesearean?

Hospitals, including maternity hospitals in Melbourne, offer much-needed health care and medical treatment for women who struggle with childbirth. Still, there are many women and babies out there who have medical intervention and treatment for no good reason. Unfortunately, we've become blind to the risks of commonly used interventions, including caesarean delivery, and the importance of vaginal births for babies and mothers.

Fewer than half of pregnant women in the United Kingdom have a vaginal birth each year, and only 42 per cent of births in England and Scotland happen without an induction, an epidural or spinal anaesthetic or assisted by forceps or vacuum extraction. And a whopping 25 But are those interventions justified? Research shows that not all of these interventions are justified by clinical or demographic need.

Interventions, like clamping and cutting the umbilical cord immediately after birth, are considered innocuous, but they are now carried out routinely, which could be harmful. Delaying clamping and umbilical cord-cutting can prevent iron deficiency and boost the long term development of the baby ..

Also, medical interventions, like caesareans, carry many risks, including bleeding, infection and thrombosis for the mother. For the baby, these risks include breathing difficulties, lung issues and prematurity caused by an operation performed too early. Babies might also struggle with bonding and breast feeding.

Other issues could be life-threatening to both the mother and the baby in future pregnancies. A vast number of elective caesareans are now planned without any medical need and often performed before the 39 weeks, despite evidence that babies born before 39 weeks might not be ready for life outside the mother's womb. Babies born at 37 to 38 weeks can experience worse long term health and developmental outcomes, including serious breathing issues.

Why are medical interventions so common?

There are many reasons that medical interventions are becoming more common. Professionals might lean towards medical approaches because they don't know or don't accept the evidence on the risks of interventions. It might also be that our society, in general, has a High level of faith in technology and medical treatment. There is also a decrease in midwifery skills, confidence and autonomy. There is a struggle with gathering and interpreting evidence on such a complex topic confounded by multiple factors.

We need to reach a balance between medical interventions and natural births. One medical intervention can often lead to another intervention. A woman who has had one caesarean section is more likely to need another C-section. Induction of labor is expected to lead to a caesarean section, and an epidural is likely to lead to the need for a medical intervention or assisted birth. And continuous monitoring of the unborn baby's heart during labor is more likely to lead to a caesarean section in low-risk pregnancies, without any evidence that the medical intervention leads to better health for the baby.