Caesarean (elective)
A caesarean section is an operation to take out the baby directly from the uterus (womb) by making an incision in the lower abdomen. An elective caesarean (or cold section) is where the procedure is carried out before labour begins and is pre-planned.
You may be advised to have an elective caesarean in the following circumstances:
- You have a serious medical condition which could be made worse by the stress of labour
- You are expecting a multiple birth
- The placenta is positioned across the exit of the uterus, so the baby cannot be born vaginally (placenta praevia)
- You have pre-eclampsia
- The baby is too big to fit through the pelvis
- The baby has not or cannot be turned to a head down position
- The baby is in the breech position (bottom first). Some obstetricians prefer not to perform a caesarean if the baby is breech and prefer to turn babies into a head down position at the end of pregnancy. The mother may also be given the chance to try for a vaginal delivery with her baby in the breech position
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