Patient's question:
Detailed medical condition and consultation purpose:Please ask, between natural birth and cesarean section, which method has a smaller impact on the fetus's physical health?
I heard from a friend that during a cesarean section, the baby's brain is not compressed, and the impact on intelligence and other aspects is relatively minor. Please ask the doctor if this is true.
Doctor's answer:
Hello, choosing a cesarean section involves taking on more risks compared to natural childbirth.Dr. Small said that a cesarean section is, after all, a major abdominal surgery. It increases the likelihood of severe bleeding and infection in the mother, as well as the risk of various postpartum complications, requiring more than six weeks for recovery. In the long term, cesarean sections can also affect a woman's fertility and may lead to abnormal pregnancies such as ectopic pregnancy.
A 2003 academic report published in the UK noted that cesarean sections involve significant trauma, making mothers more susceptible to amniotic fluid embolism, where amniotic fluid enters the bloodstream, threatening the mother's life. This has also become a major cause of maternal mortality in recent years.
Ted Weaver, an obstetrician in Queensland, Australia, said that most women who choose cesarean sections can safely give birth to their babies. However, compared to those who have natural births, they require longer recovery times and are more likely to face postpartum depression and a lack of milk supply.
Research shows that to date, there is still no evidence to prove that cesarean sections are safer than natural childbirth. From the perspective of newborns, since the baby has not been squeezed through the birth canal, some fetal lung fluid cannot be expelled, which may lead to difficulties in breathing independently after birth and result in complications such as neonatal asphyxia and pulmonary hyaline membrane disease. A recent academic report from Germany further indicates that infants born via cesarean section are more likely to develop symptoms of food allergies and diarrhea in their first year of life.