Better regional anesthesia has also significantly diminished fears about the safety of C-sections. C-sections can be life saving for many mothers and babies. Doctors say it should be considered only when there is fetal distress, if the baby is too big or wrongly positioned, or when there are disorders that make the labor risky for the mother or baby. The risk of death for a woman undergoing a C-section is three to seven times higher than a woman who is giving a vaginal delivery. The new guidelines on C-sections recommend that hospitals and physicians review and reduce their cesarean delivery rates where appropriate.
Experts say a C-section is the biggest risk factor for having another.
If the surgical cut was in the lower abdomen as opposed to the upper abdomen, most healthy women can reportedly try vaginal delivery for their next baby as long as a surgeon is standing by for any necessary emergency surgery. The guidelines caution against surgery too early when a woman is experiencing slow labor. They also warn against giving the painkilling epidural too early, before the cervix is dilated 4-5 centimeters. Officials say that increases a woman's C-section risk. Doctors are also asked to consider trying to turn the baby headfirst by pushing onto the mother's abdomen before automatically operating.