Our last blog post may have left some of our Worcester readers with questions. The story involved a mother’s lawsuit over a birth injury her baby suffered because of a serious doctor error — a failure to recognize the warning signs that called for a C-section. Now, there may be some misconceptions in the public mind about why a woman would need to have a C-section performed, so let’s take a closer look at the reasons typically underlying the procedure.
C-sections are most often called for when a mother’s labor has stalled; in other words, the baby is not progressing towards birth the way it should be. This can happen when a baby’s head is too large to progress, or perhaps when the mother’s cervix does not open as it should during contractions. In these cases, a C-section is typically needed in order to deliver the baby.
It’s also possible for labor to progress while the baby is turned to emerge feet-first or on his or her side. This is more common in situations of twins or triplets, but it can happen with single-baby births as well. In these cases, a timely C-section may avoid risks of physical injury to the baby from being born in these positions.
There are other considerations like health concerns and a mother’s history with previous births that should alert an obstetrician to the potential need for a c-section. Like any surgery, of course, there are risks associated with a C-section, but it’s important to recognize that proceeding with a natural birth in some situations also carries serious risks of injury to the baby.
Ultimately, your provider should advise you if a C-section might help you deliver a healthy baby, or in an emergency should be able to make that call him or herself. Failure to do so that results in injury or worse may constitute medical malpractice.
