What is it like to have a C-section?
In the United States, nearly one-third of births each year are C-section births, where carefully placed surgical incisions are used to deliver a baby. C-sections are often used as a way to minimize the effects of pregnancy complications or to help pregnant people who have certain heart, brain or other health conditions to deliver safely.
While some C-section births are scheduled in advance, others may occur as part of an emergency. Many individuals looking forward to bringing home their newborn baby are worried about the potential for a C-section birth. They may have questions about the procedure, including:
- What is it like to have a C-section?
- How soon can you walk after a C-section is performed?
- How large are the surgical incisions during a C-section?
- What kind of anesthesia is used for C-section births?
- What is a transition nurse and how do they help after delivery?
- How can I care for myself at home after a C-section?
In this short informational video from Prisma Health, we walk through the answers to these questions and more, including essential information on fetal distress, placenta previa and why these conditions and others may lead to the need for a C-section birth.
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