Caesarian Sections - Nurse's perspective.

[Guest guest]

I am not trying to scare people with this information. Caesarian sections are

probably here to stay, thanks to allopaths. But at least the people should be

aware of the side effects.

 

Jagannath.

 

From a Nurse's Forum;

"Caesarean sections are not without complications and consequences. Maternal

risks in the short term include haemorrhage, infection, ileus, pulmonary

embolism, and Mendelson's syndrome. The prevalence of hysterectomy due to

haemorrhage after caesarean section is 10 times that after vaginal delivery, and

the risk of maternal death is increased up to 16-fold.

 

Long term morbidity including formation of adhesions, intestinal obstruction,

bladder injury, and uterine rupture is often underestimated during subsequent

pregnancy. There is evidence suggesting decreased fecundity, increased risk of

ectopic pregnancy, placenta praevia, and worse infant outcome in subsequent

pregnancies, although the effect on non-reproductive health is unclear and

contradictory. Feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and failure in not completing a

natural process may affect bonding between mother and infant, particularly if

the operation was conducted under general anaesthetic"

 

This is just one example of a very serious health consequence for the mother,

but of course there are others, eg greatly increased risk of severe blood loss

and increased need for transfusion.

 

Although fear of damage to the bladder and pelvic floor are often cited as

reasons for elective c/s, apparently many women suffer bladder damage as a

result of c/s anyway. A friend has had stress incontinence since her last

caesarean three years ago, for example, having previously got through two

vaginal births and another c/s with no problems. She feels as though 'it was all

sewn up too tightly' and has felt constant pressure on her bladder. It was

suggested to me recently that sometimes nerves can be severed or damaged during

a c/s which can affect bladder function and sometimes sexual enjoyment, although

I've not seen any research on this.

 

Bear in mind too that these stats only refer to one birth, and they ignore the

long-term consequences for the mother's whole childbearing life - eg future

risks of placenta praevia, placenta accreta, uterine rupture etc.. all increase,

and in subsequent pregnancies these all pose life-threatening risks to mother

and baby even if she plans elective repeat caesareans. I think it was our own

Margaret Jowitt who said that a woman with a past caesarean has already had

intervention in all her future births.

 

It has also been said that caesareans shift some of the risks of one birth, to

all of the mother's future pregnancies and births. As Chung et al say in

medicalese,

"Obstetricians should be ready to face the late sequelae of today's decision for

cesarean section." [6].

 

Any assessment of the costs and benefits of caesareans really needs to look at

the mother's whole childbearing career, not just this one birth. And that

obviously needs to include the tragic cases where the operation itself leads to

a hysterectomy - who can put a price on such a loss when the mother wanted more

children?

 

Angela Horn

Homebirth Reference Site

www.homebirth.org.uk

 

About further risks to babies from caesarian sections please read;

 

http://www.radmid.demon.co.uk/csbaby.htm

 

http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregnancy/plabor/0,,48f2,00.html