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Giving Birth by Cesarean Section

Almost one-third of women will have a Cesarean birth. Here's how to prepare for a C-section.

by: Nancy Ripton

The most predictable thing about C-sections–and childbirth in general–is that they're unpredictable," says Dr. William Camann, associate professor of anesthesia at Harvard Medical School. An estimated 25 to 30 percent of pregnant women will have a Cesarean or C-section birth, where the baby is delivered through a surgical incision in the mother's abdomen and uterus. Here's how to prepare yourself in case your baby arrives via Cesarean:

Reasons for a C-section Birth

"Every woman should prepare herself for a C-section before she goes into labor," says Dr. Camann. Many C-sections are planned in advance for reasons such as breech birth, placenta previa (placenta blocks the cervix opening) and placenta abruption (the placenta starts to give way from the uterine wall), but the majority of Cesareans are non-elective. Regardless of your birthing plan, you should be prepared for the possibility of a Cesarean birth.