By Stephanie Sosnowski

While cesarean surgery can be a life saver for both mother and baby, there is increasing evidence that a cesarean birth done before the baby has reached 39 weeks of gestation leads to increased complications in newborns. Research published in a recent New England Journal of Medicine reported that of the babies in their study that were born before 39 weeks, 26 percent had complications, including the need to be on a ventilator, respiratory distress syndrome, low blood sugar and severe infection.

Even with the latest advances in technology, a baby’s due date can’t be determined with 100 percent accuracy. Therefore, if a cesarean surgery is scheduled before a woman’s due date, it is quite possible that the baby could be born as early as 36 weeks of gestation, instead of at full term of 40 weeks. When babies are born early, the brain has not had a chance to fully develop, and this can lead to complications. In the last six weeks of a full term pregnancy, baby’s brain adds connections needed for balance, coordination, learning and social functioning. During this time, baby’s brain nearly doubles in size! Also affected are baby’s lungs -- during the last few weeks of gestation, a baby’s lungs mature. A benefit of the actual process of labor is that babies need time for their lung cells to shift from being fluid-producing to becoming fluid-absorbing cells. Without the labor process to help prepare the baby to breathe, lung cells may not be ready. So even if babies are full-term and delivered by cesarean, they need to go into an intensive care unit more often to get help with their breathing than babies that are born vaginally.

What parents can do
With the cesarean section rates skyrocketing across the country, parents-to-be need to be as well-educated as possible about the risks and benefits of cesarean sections. The Healthy People 2010 suggested rate for cesarean section is 15 percent, however, according to New York State Health Department data from 2007, here in the Hudson Valley there are hospitals with rates ranging from as low as 24.9 to over 50 percent. There are several indications for a cesarean to be scheduled, including:
• Placenta Previa – the placenta is presenting before the baby
• Placental Abruption – the placenta separates prematurely from the uterus
• Transverse lie – the baby is lying horizontally in the uterus
• Fetal distress – may be caused by umbilical compression

For families that have already had a child born by cesarean, and have been told to schedule their next delivery by cesarean, it is essential for them to learn about the benefit of delaying the surgery for as long as possible to help reduce the risk of newborn complications.

To learn more about birth, expectant parents should enroll in a childbirth preparation course, available at many hospitals. Maternal-Infant Services Network offers free sessions – visit our website at www.misn-ny.org for more information. For more information about cesareans, also visit the International Cesarean Awareness website at www.ican-online.org.

For More Information on FREE or LOW COST Health Insurance, Prenatal Care or Breastfeeding Support Call 1-800-453-4666.