Most women hope for a vaginal birth of their baby, but sometimes this is not possible, or not safe. Usually, women who will give birth by c-section know this in advance. But sometimes this decision is made during labor. There are many reasons for your doctor to decide you can’t deliver vaginally.
Some of the conditions that may require a planned c-section are:
- The baby is in a breech (bottom first) or transverse (sideways) position.
- You’re carrying three or more babies.
- The baby has a known fetal illness or abnormality.
- You’re having a genital herpes outbreak, which can be passed along to a baby delivered vaginally.
- You have placenta praevia: when the placenta is blocking the baby’s exit, because it’s very low in the uterus.
- You have abruptio placenta: when the placenta is separated from the uterine wall and the baby is in danger.
- Your pre-eclampsia (swellings due to high blood pressure) is getting worse fast, making it dangerous to delay delivery.
- You have had multiple caesarean sections.
Women have an unplanned surgical delivery for several reasons, including:
- The baby’s heart rate becomes irregular, which means that she may not be strong enough for a vaginal delivery.
- The placenta has abrupted.
- The umbilical cord slips through the cervix, it may get compressed during delivery and cut off the baby’s oxygen supply.
- The baby is not moving down the birth canal, because the cervix has stopped dilating or for a different reason.
