Normal delivery and cesarean section: advantages and disadvantages

There are two ways for pregnant women to give birth to a baby, namely normally or giving birth by Caesarean section or what is also often called a C-section. Most pregnant women want to give birth normally for more natural reasons. However, a Caesarean section sometimes has to be chosen for a variety of reasons.

The following are some of the reasons that often cause a Caesarean section:

Mother will give birth to twins.
The mother has a medical history that does not support a normal delivery (diabetes, high blood pressure, HIV, herpes, or problems with the placenta).
The size of the baby is quite large while the size of the mother's hips is small.
The baby is in a breech position.
The opening process is too slow so the baby is not getting enough oxygen.
The traumatic experience of the mother who had previously given birth normally

The advantages and disadvantages of giving birth normally

Childbirth normally is a long process that involves the hard work of a mother and results in physical exhaustion. However, there are many advantages to normal childbirth:

– Can leave the hospital sooner. The advantage for mothers who give birth normally is a fast recovery process compared to giving birth by Caesarean section. According to Dr. Allison Bryant, a perinatologist from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, although it depends on the condition of the mother and child, in general, if the mother is judged to be well enough within 24 to 48 hours, then the mother can leave the hospital.

– Avoid the risks caused by surgery. Women who give birth normally avoid various risks and complications due to surgery, including bleeding, infection, reactions to anesthesia, and the effects of prolonged illness.

– The mother can directly interact with the baby. Another advantage of giving birth normally is that the mother can directly interact with the baby and can immediately provide exclusive breastfeeding as soon as possible after giving birth.

The drawback

In addition to the advantages that have been mentioned, giving birth normally also has several risks, including:

– Risk of damage to the skin and tissue around the vagina. By the time the baby passes through the vagina, there is a great risk that the skin and tissue around the vagina will stretch and tear. This can result in weakening or injury to the hip muscles, which control urine and bowels in the mother.

– Pain in the perineum. After giving birth normally, the mother may also experience prolonged pain in the area between the vagina and anus, or what is better known as the perineum.

– Injury during childbirth. Reporting from the Stanford School of Medicine, another risk that may be experienced by the mother is the injury that may occur during the birth process itself. If the baby is too large, there is a chance that the mother could suffer injuries, including bruises to the skin or fractures of the bones.

The advantages and disadvantages of giving birth by Caesarean section

Dr. Bryant stated that there is not much advantage that can be gained from a cesarean delivery. However, the scheduled timing of the birth process makes the mother feel safer and more predictable than giving birth normally.

The drawback

The disadvantages of giving birth by Caesarean include:

– Stay longer in hospital. As opposed to giving birth normally, women who give birth by Caesarean are likely to stay longer in the hospital.

– Risk of physical problems after surgery. Having a Caesarean section increases the physical risks for the mother such as prolonged pain at the surgery site.

– Possible bleeding and infection. Caesarean section results in the possibility of large blood loss. In addition, there is also the possibility of blood clots. Caesarean section can also increase the risk of infection due to injury to the colon or bladder

– The possibility of not being able to directly interact with the baby. Some studies suggest that women who give birth by Caesarean section are less likely to immediately be able to exclusively breastfeed their babies.

– Long recovery time. Recovery after surgery can take up to 2 months. This is because the woman may experience greater pain in the abdomen around the surgical wound.

– Probably died. According to the French Study, women who give birth by Caesarean section are three times more likely to die than women who give birth normally due to bleeding, infection, and complications due to anesthesia.

– Risk of miscarriage. The risk of miscarriage during cesarean delivery is also greater than that of babies born normally

– Risk of damage to the uterus and placenta in the next delivery. Women who have had a Caesarean section are at risk of developing complications in future pregnancies, such as tearing of the uterus due to surgical wounds on the uterus and abnormal placenta. The risk of placenta problems will continue to increase with every C-section you undergo.

– The possibility to get another Caesarean section in the next birth process. If the mother has received a Caesarean section, it is very likely that in the next delivery process, the mother will have to go back through a Caesarean section.

The effect of choice of delivery method on the health of the baby

The method of childbirth that is done by the mother will affect the health of the baby even until the little one is 7 years old. The normal method of delivery is more beneficial for the health of the baby, for the following reasons:

– Reduced risk of breathing problems during childbirth. According to Dr. Bryant, during the process of giving birth normally, many muscles are involved to pump out the fluid that is in the lungs of the baby. This results in the baby being less likely to experience breathing problems.

– Builds the immune system. While still in the mother's womb, the baby lives in a sterile condition. It is inversely proportional to when the baby is in the process of being born, where the baby will pass through the mother's vagina which is full of bacteria. This results in the baby being able to build the immune system from the bacteria it gets and enrich the useful bacteria that are in the baby's digestion.

Child health problems that may occur due to Caesarean section

In contrast to babies born normally, babies born by Caesarean section may have several health problems, including:

– Possible breathing problems. Babies born by Caesarean section have the possibility of developing respiratory problems during childbirth or during childhood, such as asthma.

– The possibility of being obese. Several studies indicate that the process of giving birth by Caesarean section may cause obesity in children in childhood or even into adulthood. However, there is no research that can actually prove this. The current hypothesis is that this is related to the factor that women who are obese or have diabetes are more likely to have a Caesarean section, so that the child who is born may also be obese.