C-Sections are becoming a “lifestyle choice”
A Controversial Choice?
To an ordinary person, there may be nothing particularly controversial about being able to pick when you can give birth, and how. However, elective C-sections are one of the most widely debated topics in obstetrics/gynecology circles all over the world.
Who really needs C-sections?
Only a small percentage of all pregnancies requires C-section, and these are usually pregnancies facing certain risks: structural problems in the mother’s reproductive system, or the possibility of a breech delivery (the baby is like to come out legs or bottom first).
The elective C-sections are done even without a proper medical indication. In fact, the obstetrical and gynecological society does not recognize elective C-section as an indication for Cesarean section.
That’s one reason why it’s hard to say exactly how many such procedures are performed. One rough estimate pegs it at 20 out 100 C-sections. Most o the time what happens is the elective C-section is hidden under some vague indication, like non-reassuring fetal heart rate, or something that would be medically acceptable.
What puts ob/gynes in a ickle is that while they need to inform a woman that elective C-section is not a primary consideration for any form of birth, a woman’s right to determine what’s best for her body and her child deserves respect. So why would women want to skip the whole process of labor, heaving and pushing, and waiting for the baby to come naturally out to the world?
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