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Reasons for C-sections

By: Meg Dilts

Your doctor might recommend a c-section if she thinks it is safer for you or your baby than vaginal birth. Some c-sections are planned. But most c-sections are done when unexpected problems happen during delivery. Even so, there are risks of delivering by c-section. Limited studies show that the benefits of having a c-section may outweigh the risks when:

    * the mother is carrying more than one baby (twins, triplets, etc.)
    * the mother has health problems including HIV infection, herpes infection, and heart disease
    * the mother has dangerously high blood pressure
    * the mother has problems with the shape of her pelvis
    * there are problems with the placenta
    * there are problems with the umbilical cord
    * there are problems with the position of the baby, such as breech
    * the baby shows signs of distress, such as a slowed heart rate
    * the mother has had a previous c-section


Source: Office on Women's Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.


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Date Added: 2009-04-30 Views : 121

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