Caesarean section: Health24: Pregnancy

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Caesarean section

What is a caesarean section?

A caesarean section (C/S) is an operation performed to deliver a baby when vaginal delivery (normal birth) is impossible or unsafe.

Caesariean section scars

Measuring the thickness of the uterine scar from a caesarean delivery can help physicians predict which women may safely try to have a vaginal delivery.

Induced labour ups C-section risk

First-time mothers who have their labour induced may face a greater risk of needing a cesarean section than those who go into labour naturally.

Caesarian stress may alter DNA

Babies delivered by caesarean section experience changes to the DNA of white blood cells, which might be why they're at increased risk for immunological diseases researchers say.

Caesarean section

A caesarean section (C/S) is an operation performed to deliver a baby when vaginal delivery (normal birth) is impossible or unsafe.

Common concerns

Dr Elizabeth van Wyk, gynaecologist, answers typical questions about caesarian sections.

C-sections and preterm pregnancies

New research suggests performing a caesarian section too early in pregnancy increases the risk of complications for the new born.

C-section at record high in US

Births by Caesarean section in the United States reached an all-time high in 2007 when some 1.4 million babies, or 32% of births, were by C-section, a new study showed.