ICAN pt choice CSs Responce by I nternational Cesarean Awareness Network to the Good Morning America's Tues. Dr. Harer claims that elective cesarean section and vaginal birth are equally safe and therefore, either option should be made available to women. The International Cesarean Awareness Network opposes the use of cesarean section where there is no medical need.
Birth is a normal, physiological process.
Cesarean section is major abdominal surgery which exposes the mother to all the risks of major surgery, including a higher maternal mortality rate, infection, hemorrhage, complications of anesthesia, damage to internal organs, scar tissue, increase incidence of secondary infertility, longer recovery periods, increase in clinical postpartum depression, and complications in maternal-infant bonding and breastfeeding as well as risks to the infant of respiratory distress, prematurity and injuries from the surgery. For example, episiotomies are associated with pelvic floor damage and long-term complications. They have also been proven to be unnecessary and harmful in most births, yet the majority of American women are still subjected to this surgical procedure during a vaginal birth. It has been suggested that cesarean section is the safer method of birth for infants. However, scientific evidence proves that infant outcome does not improve once the cesarean rate climbs above 10 percent.