Published On: Mon, Sep 8th, 2014

Is C-Section Better Than Normal Delivery?

A common question that women often ask the doctors is C-section better than normal delivery. We will in this article discuss all the aspects of this topic so that you can decide for yourself. Well both the methods have their own pros and cons. We cannot say that one is definitely better than the other.

Normal Vs C-Section Delivery

Normal delivery is the normal birth procedure that has been followed for ages. In this the woman gets the labour pain and she pushes the baby out of the vagina. In C-section a surgery is done. The woman’s tummy is cut and the baby is removed. This is a very general description and we all know this, don’t we.

Advantages of Normal Delivery

Let us move to the technicalities of the normal birth. Well the normal birth has the following advantages:

  1. It is a natural process as a result it traditional and more preferred.
  2. The normal delivery is less expensive.
  3. The recovery time in normal delivery is just a day. As soon as the delivery is done in sometime the woman can get back to her normal life.
  4. Normal delivery may also require a slight cut but that can heal much faster.
  5. As there is no cut made there are no surgery marks on the body of the woman. This helps her to maintain her good looks and wear the clothes she wants.

Let us now look at the various problems that are associated with a normal delivery:

  1. The first problem that many women will tell you it that normal delivery is extremely painful. Pushing a baby out of the vagina is not a small task.
  2. The labour pain that leads to normal delivery can also last for hours. Many women find it extremely difficult to handle.
  3. The pain in normal delivery is so strong that many women may have pain even after three days of the delivery.
  4. Normal birth causes injury to the vagina. It also enlarges the vagina as a result it can impact the sexual life post-delivery. The injury takes longer to heal that means you will have to wait longer to get back to a normal sex life.
  5. The normal delivery leads to more bleeding post birth.
  6. The woman can become weak due to the blood lost.
  7. The woman can wear post pregnancy belts soon after normal delivery this will ensure that their tummy goes back to the original position faster.

Considering all these problems associated with normal birth many women prefer to go for the C-section. It is becoming an increasing trend worldwide. In the olden days the C-section was considered to be a major operation. It is not a major operation anymore. Partial anesthesia is given to the woman.

The surgery lasts for about half an hour. Soon after the delivery the woman is discharged and she can get back home. The stiches done are ones that dissolve in a week’s time. As a result there is no need to cut the stiches. Technological advances in medical science have really made the C-section simpler operation today.

The advantages of C-Section Delivery:

  1. The pain associated with the delivery is much lesser in C –section.
  2. The surgery can be planned and you can decide the time and date you want the delivery. This is very convenient for the modern working women.
  3. The damage to the vagina in this is much less compared to a normal delivery as a result you can get back to your sex life faster.

The various disadvantages associated with the C- section surgery are listed below:

  1. The cost of a C-section operation is always higher than a normal delivery.
  2. The doctors will advise the women doing C-section to no indulge in any exercise for at least two months. As the cut takes time to heal. From top the cut might have healed but the internal healing takes a longer time. As a result the women in C-section tend to put on more weight and take it longer to reduce the same.
  3. In C –section as the tummy is cut the women are advised not to wear a maternity belt post-delivery for at least a month this increases the size of the tummy for the women. As a result it takes time to get back in shape.
  4. The operation leaves a scar in the tummy of the woman. This may make the figure look a little unattractive.
  5. The babies who are born in C-section may need to be kept in the intensive care unit for some time to track their development.
  6. In a C-section the woman may be required to stay in hospital a little longer than the normal delivery.
  7. In some cases women undergoing C-section might be told to be in complete bed rest for a longer period.
  8. The chances for heart attack in C-section are a little higher. This happens when the woman has high blood pressure.

These are the various pros and cons of the two deliveries. We hope that you got a good idea of is C-section better than normal delivery. As per the points that we have mentioned above you can chose the delivery that you want. You must consult with your doctor and then decide accordingly. The type of delivery depends on your and the baby’s health too.

In the following situations the doctor will prefer a C-section delivery only:

  1. If the pregnancy is a high risk one normal delivery is avoided.
  2. If the mother has a high blood pressure or is obese then normal delivery is not a possibility.
  3. Most women who have crossed the age of thirty five are advised to go for a C-section as it reduces the birth related complications.
  4. If the water bag bursts and there is no pain the doctor will immediately do a C-section.
  5. If the sonography shows that the umbilical cord has entangled in the neck of the baby then a C-section is preferred.

There can be many reasons that support C-section. It reduces birth related complications to a great extent. Many doctors feel that normal delivery is better and if they feel that the patient can do it normal deliveries are done. We hope we have answered all your questions on is C-section better than normal delivery.

 

About the Author

- Shantini Diaz has been associated with Abhishek Solutions for over 5 years now and is a part of the brilliant 4S team as we call it, consisting of 4 brilliant female minds who provide their services to us, all starting with the alphabet \”S\” hence the 4S quadruple. An MBA by education, and an experienced Operations Manager in reputed public limited pharmacy in Coimbatore

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