An emergency C-section is an urgent situation in which the expectant mother’s health is unstable or critical during labour or childbirth and requires immediate clinical intervention in the form of caesarean section.
Emergency caesarean is a birthing option that is utilised during an emergency situation involving life-threatening concerns for the mother and/or child.
You may need an emergency C-section under the following circumstances:
There are mainly three types of C-section deliveries:
1 ) Scheduled/ planned C-section – A scheduled or planned C-section is one that you and your obstetrician decides on at an earlier stage of your pregnancy, usually months before.
2) Unplanned C-section – An unplanned caesarean is usually decided some weeks, days or hours before childbirth. In such cases, there is usually no medical emergency associated with childbirth.
3) Emergency C-section – An emergency caesarean is done in case of a medical emergency to safeguard the health of the mother and child.
The goal of an emergency C-section is to protect the mother and child. Therefore, quick and timely intervention is supreme in such cases. Your obstetrician works in close collaboration with your anaesthetists, midwives, nurses and antenatal care experts to manage the situation. You will be quickly given pain medication and the surgery will be done to deliver the baby.
During an emergency caesarean, your surgeon may make a vertical incision on your uterus to quickly deliver your newborn.
An emergency C-section is associated with the following risks and complications:
Risks to the mother
Risks to the child
