Cesarean Section

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics

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• Images
• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

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For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

A Cesarean section (C-section) is surgery to deliver a baby. The baby is taken out through the mother's abdomen. In the United States, almost one in three women has their babies this way. Some C-sections are planned, but many are done when unexpected problems happen during delivery. Reasons for a C-section may include

• Health problems in the mother
• The mother carrying more than one baby
• The size or position of the baby
• The baby's health is in danger
• Labor is not moving along as it should

The surgery is relatively safe for mother and baby. Still, it is major surgery and carries risks. It also takes longer to recover from a C-section than from vaginal birth. It can raise the risk of having difficulties with future pregnancies. Some women may have problems attempting a vaginal birth later. Still, many women are able to have a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).

NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Start Here

• C-Section Recovery: What to Expect (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Cesarean Sections (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Delivery by Cesarean Section (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Having a C-Section (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
• What Is a Cesarean Delivery? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Breastfeeding after Cesarean Delivery (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Repeat C-Sections: Is There a Limit? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-Section) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• What Is Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (VBAC)? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
• Why at Least 39 Weeks Is Best for Your Baby? (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)

Specifics

• Medical Reasons for a C-Section (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Also in Spanish
• What is a C-Section? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)

Images

• C-section - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Videos and Tutorials

• Cesarean section (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Cesarean Section: Recovering After Surgery (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
• Cesarean Section: The Operation (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)

Statistics and Research

• FastStats: Births -- Method of Delivery (National Center for Health Statistics)
• PeriStats: Perinatal Statistics (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Cesarean Section (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Characterization of obstetric care developed in teaching hospitals in a capital...
• Article: Effect of maternal age on maternal and perinatal outcomes including cesarean...
• Article: The influence of gestational age at term on breastfeeding: a cohort...
• Cesarean Section -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Find an Ob-Gyn (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
• March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• After a C-section - in the hospital (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• C-section (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Going home after a C-section (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Vaginal birth after C-section (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish