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Cesarean section: What to think about?
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
If you are planning to have your baby vaginally but are considering an emergency C-section, talk to your doctor about it. Ask when an unplanned C-section is done and what steps your doctor typically takes to induce vaginal labor.
Experts believe that cesarean sections should only be performed for medical reasons and offer a list of such cases:
- The woman had a cesarean section in the past. Sometimes women decide to have a vaginal birth after a cesarean section, but they should be aware of the risk of complications. Some medical institutions do not practice vaginal birth after a cesarean section, so you should weigh the pros and cons with your doctor before deciding to have a vaginal birth after a cesarean section.
- Fetal distress syndrome. If the fetal heart rate is slow, the doctor will usually not risk the health of the fetus and will perform a cesarean section.
- Difficult prolonged labor (labor dystocia). Dystocia is often controlled with medications that restart uterine contractions. However, in women with a cesarean scar, oxytocin should be administered carefully to minimize the risk of scar rupture during labor.
Doctors sometimes disagree on this issue. For some, labor is long, while others consider this process quite normal. But everyone agrees that the main thing is to preserve the health of the mother and child.
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