Demystifying Cesarean Sections by Taking a Closer Look at the Procedure
Giving birth is one beautiful experience, but in Nigeria, the way women see Cesarean section is as though anyone who has it, was unlucky. I have seen women go to churches to pray against it, and at the hospital, it is often like asking the expecting father to sign a death warrant when they are asked to sign a C-Section. This shouldn't be so because either way, the child is going to be coming out alive, and the mother will be safe. In this post, I will be discussing Cesarean Section, and why a woman could undergo the procedure.
A Cesarean section involves making an incision in the mother's abdomen to safely deliver the baby. This method is chosen when the healthcare provider determines it to be a safer option for the mother, the baby, or both, compared to vaginal birth. Some women opt for a C-section by choice, known as elective surgery, scheduled around the 39th week of pregnancy. Additionally, women who have previously delivered via C-section are often advised to choose this method for subsequent pregnancies.
While not the first choice for delivery, there are valid reasons for recommending a C-section. Conditions such as Labor Dystocia, where the baby's head is larger than the mother's pelvis, can necessitate this procedure. Similarly, Placenta Previa, where the placenta fully or partially covers the uterine opening, obstructing the baby's exit, can call for a C-section. Babies in a breech position, where the head is upright and the feet are down, might require surgical intervention. In the past, in Nigeria, when surgery wasn't readily available, women in this situation would attempt to push the baby out, often resulting in unique names like Ojo for males and Aina for females in Yoruba culture.
Other reasons can be a prolapse of the Umbilical cord, and fetal distress before full dilation leading to lack of oxygen to the fetus can also require immediate surgery. In cases where the procedure isn't done early, it could lead to a stillbirth and at this point, saving the life of the mother would be important. Other cases could be when a mom has twins and both are struggling to come out together thereby requiring a C-section. A mother can be advised to undergo a C-section if a tumor such as a pelvic tumor, or cervical cancer is found. If the mother has an active herpes infection, then she is advised to deliver via cesarean section. It's not a bad thing to undergo a C-section procedure, because even when your child decides to overfeed, thereby causing it to overweigh (above 4 kilograms), then you might be advised to undergo the procedure.
For people who see it as a very stressful procedure, it isn't for you to worry, any medical practitioner performing a C-section is surely good at their job, so you need not worry. The procedure can begin by inserting an angiocatheter into the patient's hand, as well as a bladder catheter. General Anesthesia and regional anesthesia can be given to the patient. With general Anesthesia, the mother is not conscious, and as you would expect that the baby would also receive a part of the medication, so the baby would be sedated as well. This is usually done when the surgery is needed to be done as a matter of emergency. Regional anesthesia such as spinal anesthesia is given to numb the spinal nerves. This anesthesia doesn't get to the baby and the patient would be conscious throughout the procedure but will not feel the pain from the procedure.
An incision is made to the skin, and these incisions can be vertical or horizontal. The horizontal incision is just above the pelvic bone, After the skin incision, the fascia fat, the muscle layer, and the peritoneal layers are cut. When doing this, the urinary bladder is pushed aside and protected. The uterus is reached and an incision is made to the uterus after which the amniotic sac is ruptured and the baby is delivered from the uterus. When the baby is out, the Umbilical cord is cut, and the baby is taken for examination. The placenta is removed gently, after which the layers are sewn back.
The procedure shouldn't take beyond 15 to 30 minutes, so it isn't a lifetime procedure, and the incisions would heal in about 12 days to 2 weeks. Over time, the scar would become thinner and would align with the skin.
Cesarean section is not something to fear; it's a medical marvel that ensures the well-being of both mother and baby when necessary. It's essential to trust in the expertise of healthcare professionals and focus on a positive outcome, a healthy baby, and safe delivery.
Reference
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/299502
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546707/
- https://www.glowm.com/section-view/heading/Abnormal%20Labor:%20Diagnosis%20and%20Management/item/132
- https://www.physio-pedia.com/Labour_Dystocia
- https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/obstetric-care-consensus/articles/2014/03/safe-prevention-of-the-primary-cesarean-delivery
- https://www.uptodate.com/contents/c-section-cesarean-delivery-beyond-the-basics/print
Please husbands are asked to sign the consent form for legal purposes and not as a death sentence okay, although your write up stated that most people looks at it as a death sentence. Surgery's are based on 50/50 chances and not a sure procedure no matter the expert carrying out the procedure. Good write up about how culture and religion has created a big problem on deciding to chose C-section as a means of giving birth. C-section is not evil neither will it take away your pride as a woman. Please C-section is a safe procedure to undergo for any pregnant woman that has been diagnosed of it and it doesn't have any bad impression on anyone. If C-section is the only option for you to deliver your baby please go for it and never allow any religion or culture to send you to your early grave. It's high time people become aware that C-section is not a dead sentence. C-section does not prevent you from caring for your baby well. Your baby will be cared for very well and still get enough breast milk as possible. Please husbands are advised to support their wives during this period by encouraging them to go for it. Thank you for this message once again. May God bless you richly 🙌🙌🙌
Hello, thanks for reading through my post. It is a shame that a lot of people see C-section as if it is a bad idea or a stigma especially in religious places. I was passing through a church sometimes last week, and I guess the women were having special prayers for pregnant women. They prayer made was for them to cancel every form of cesarean section during delivery. The clergy woman sounded like if they were told to have a CS, then they were signing up for a bad thing. This negative mindset needs to erased from the mind of people, especially Africans.
I have told as many people possible that before a medical practitioner would recommend a procedure, they would have weighed the pros and cons and were certain that it was a better option.
Most people are just being deceived by their respective religious leaders. Most times they forget to talk about serious matters affecting the world instead channel all attention on putting thoughts that are not good into people's mind. Please continue telling people about it. C-section is not a death sentence neither is it a stigma. Just like someone that has been diagnosed of amputation saying that he heard that they don't lay to rest people with amputated leg when they die at a better place in the community. Please it's high time we Africans start thinking of a better way to promote good health in the society and forget about ways of playing evil games in the society. Thank you
Even till now I am always afraid whenever a pregnant woman will need to pass through surgical operation to give birth. It looks scarcely
Actually, it is not a scary sight to behold but trust me when I say women a doing great.
I always give extra kudos to women who passed through this surgery to have their baby
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