Caesarean section
Common reasons for an elective or emergency caesarean section include:
• Previous caesarean section (a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean VBAC is possible
– discuss this with your obstetrician)
• Severe intrauterine growth restriction, where the baby is not growing adequately
• Placenta Praevia, where the placenta is positioned over the cervix
• Breech presentation (bottom presenting)
• Delayed progression of labour
• Fetal distress
• Pre-eclampsia
• Cord prolapse
• Haemorrhage
• Multiple pregnancy
• Very large baby
An elective caesarean will be arranged during the last weeks of pregnancy. After 38 weeks
is the safest time for your baby to be born to reduce the risk of breathing difficulties.
An emergency caesarean will need to be performed if a complication arises
during labour.
Partners are required to wear closed in shoes to go to theatre.
Procedure for a caesarean section
• Your midwife will shave the top of your pubic hair
• An intravenous line will be inserted into the back of your hand
• You will be given an anaesthetic – either an epidural or spinal, or a general anaesthetic
• A urinary catheter will be inserted into your bladder
• An incision is made through your ‘bikini line’
• Your baby is born, sometimes using forceps to bring the head out of the pelvic
cavity, and is then dried and checked by the Paediatrician and given to you and
your partner/ support person. If your baby requires extra support, such as oxygen
therapy, he/she will be transferred to the Special Care Nursery.
• The placenta is delivered after an intravenous administration of oxytocin
• Your wound is stitched. The stitches/clips are either removed or dissolve after a few
days when the wound has healed.
• You, your baby and partner/support person are transferred to the Post Anaesthetic
Care Unit (PACU, or more commonly referred to as Recovery) for a period of
observation (usually about 30 minutes)
• Skin to skin contact will be provided during this time and your midwife can assist
you to breastfeed your baby
• When your observations are stable, you and your baby and partner / support
person will be transferred to the postnatal ward
Caesarean
Section
You will be awake during a spinal
or epidural anaesthetic, and your
partner/support person will be
present. If a general anaesthetic
is required, then you will not be
awake and your partner will be
taken to Post Anaesthetic Care Unit
(PACU). Your baby will be brought
to your partner/support person
soon afterwards. Your partner and
baby will wait in PACU you are also
brought to PACU.
24 Mitcham Maternity Childbirth and Parent Education
Helpful
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Important
Information
Something to
Remember
Remember
Info
to
note
An elective
caesarean will be
arranged during
the last weeks of
pregnancy in some
instances. After
38 weeks is the
safest time for your
baby to be born to
reduce the risk of
breathing difficulties.