Early C-sections

A recent article titled "Study: Setting early C-sections puts babies at risk" summarizes a research study that shows that there are serious complications possible for babies born via an elective early c-section.

How early is too early? Waiting until after the 39th week of pregnancy is better, according to this research study. Babies born via elective c-section during weeks 37 and 38 had up to four times the risk of serious complications compared to elective c-sections after 39 weeks. Note the word 'elective' here ... these are c-sections that are timed for convenience, not for medically necessary reasons.

How much risk? The research study looked at 13,258 elective c-sections. 1,262 of those elective c-sections had some sort of complication: 15.3% chance of complication after 37 weeks, 11% chance of complication after 38 weeks, and 8% chance of complication after 39 weeks.

How often do these early c-sections happen? "The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has recommended since at least 1999 that patients wait 39 weeks or more before having an elective C-section". But more than 33% of the women in the research study had an elective c-section earlier than the 39 weeks recommended: 6% had one at 37 weeks, and 30% had one at 38 weeks.

Who has early c-sections? The women in the study who had an early c-section were white, married, and had medical insurance.

What complications are at risk?
For babies delivered during the 37th week: 4.2 times more likely to get respiratory distress syndrome (3.7% chance instead of 0.9% for babies born after week 39), 3 times more likely to be treated for hypoglycemia (2.4% risk vs 0.7% risk), and newborn sepsis (7% risk vs 2.5% risk). These babies were also twice as likely to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, and almost 3 times likely to need more than 5 days of hospitalization.

For babies delivered during the 38th week: 2 times the risk for respiratory distress syndrome, 30-80% more risk of other serious complications.

Make sure your daughter talks to her doctor about the timing of an elective c-section. This procedure should not be taken lightly simply for convenience or because she is uncomfortable instead of true medical reason.