April is Cesarean Awareness Month

The International Cesarean Awareness Network is the sponsor of the annual Cesarean Awareness Month in April. According to the ICAN, cesarean deliveries account for almost one third of all births in the United States. Because of the rising number of cesarean deliveries, women want to know more information on cesarean section and what their options are.

A cesarean section, also called a C-section, is when a woman has a surgical procedure through an incision in her abdomen and uterus to give birth to her baby. A cesarean section is an option that is used for childbirth when a woman can't safely have a vaginal delivery.

A cesarean section is usually performed when one of the following problems occurs during the labor process, or before:

Fetal distress. Meconium, a thick black tar-like substance, is what lines a baby's intestines while still in the womb. Meconium is typically not released in a baby's bowel movements until after birth but there are times when it can occur before delivery. If the meconium is present and released into the amniotic fluid prior to giving birth, there is a possibility your baby could go into fetal distress. It can be very dangerous for your baby to inhale meconium into his or her lungs so a cesarean delivery may be performed to prevent this and fetal distress.

If a baby's heart rate continually drops too low during the labor process, a C-section may be performed. This is considered a form of fetal distress.

Placenta previa. This is when the placenta is partially covering the cervix - it's basically implanted. Placenta previa occurs in approximately one in 200 pregnancies. Placenta previa is usually diagnosed during the last trimester of pregnancy when bleeding occurs. Other symptoms that can found with placenta previa include premature contractions, breech positioning, or if the uterus measures larger than what it should for how far along in the pregnancy a woman is.