Are you scared to death about the impending birth of your

baby? It's completely natural to be frightened. There are many

things that could go wrong. But there is something you can do to relieve some of

the anxiety. Be informed. Be prepared. Be ready for

anything. Caesarian Sections are performed when it may be

impossible or unsafe to deliver the baby vaginally, and

are very common. To help you to be prepared in the

event of a caesarian section, I've compiled this short list

of important questions. What is a Caesarian Section? A Caesarian section, or c-section, is a surgical

procedure in which an incision is made in the pregnant

mother's abdomen and uterus in order to deliver a baby.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and

Gynecologists, about 1 in 5 babies is delivered in this

way. Since the majority of these caesarian sections are

unexpected, it's a good idea to know a little bit about

them, even if you are not having a high-risk pregnancy. Why might I need a Caesarian Section? Caesarian sections are performed when the health of

the mother or baby is in jeopardy. Sometimes the

necessity of a caesarian section can be anticipated, but most

of the time the decision is made on the spot. You might

need a Caesarian Section if: * The cervix stops dilating or the baby stops

progressing down the birth canal and all attempts to stimulate

uterine contractions to get things moving have failed

* The baby's heart rate becomes irregular and he

may not be able to withstand continued labor and

vaginal delivery.

* The baby's body is in an abnormal position, such as

breech position where the baby's buttocks is coming out

first, or if the baby is lying horizontally across the birth

canal. * The baby's head is face-up, instead of face-down, it

may not be able to be delivered vaginally.

* There is a problem with your placenta, such as

placental abruption, where the placenta detaches from

the uterine wall before labor begins, or placenta previa,

where the placenta is born first, cutting off your baby's

oxygen supply.

* You have had a previous caesarian section birth.

* Your baby has a health problem, and will need

immediate medical attention after birth.

* You have a serious health problem, like diabetes,

heart or lung disease, or high blood pressure, and need

induced labor, which can have adverse affects.

* Your baby is very large, or if you have a small or

abnormal pelvis.

* You have a primary herpes simplex infection in your

genital tract, since the infection could be passed to your

baby, leading to serious disease.

* A loop in the umbilical cord comes through the

cervix, or prolapses, and becomes compressed,

decreasing the baby's oxygen supply.

* You are carrying twins or multiples, since there is a

higher possibility that on of the babies will be in an

abnormal position.

What's the down side? As with any major surgery, there are several risks

involved with caesarian section births. The estimated risk of a

mother dying after a Caesarian birth is less than one in

2,500. As a comparison, the estimated risk of a mother

dying after a vaginal birth is less than one in 10,000.

* There is a risk of infecting other, nearby organs,

such as the bladder or kidneys.

* Blood loss for caesarian sections is, on average,

twice as much as with vaginal births. Even so,

transfusions are only needed in about 1%-6% of cases.

* Surgery of any kind often causes the bowels to slow

down for several days, resulting in distention, bloating,

and discomfort.

* Both hospital stay and recovery time are longer for

Caesarian Section births.

* In any situation where general anesthesia is used,

there is a risk of pneumonia or unexpected reactions to

the anesthetics.

* If the baby's due date was incorrectly calculated, it

could result in premature delivery.

* Babies born by caesarian section are more likely to

develop breathing problems during the first few days of

life.

* There is a slight possibility that the surgeon could

make a mistake and nick the baby while making the

incision in the uterus.

Caesarian sections are more dangerous than vaginal

births, and should only be performed when absolutely

necessary. Since the decision to have a caesarian

section is often unanticipated, it is important that you are

familiar with the procedure, and discuss all of the

possible scenarios with your doctor.

About the author:

Susan Tanner is a wife and mother of three. She is also the editor of pregnancy-guide.net. Pregnancy-Guide is an online community for mothers to find support and valuable information. Please visit Pregnancy-Guide at http://www.pregnancy-guide.net