Which is better for the fetus: Cesarean section or vaginal delivery?

Patient's question:

No

Doctor's answer:

Cesarean section is a surgical procedure that can cause harm to the mother. For example, anesthesia complications, intraoperative or postoperative bleeding, damage to the bladder, ureters, and intestines during surgery, and postoperative infections such as peritonitis and sepsis. The postpartum bleeding rate is higher in cesarean sections, the postpartum infection rate is 10 to 20 times that of vaginal delivery, and the maternal mortality rate is five times that of vaginal delivery.
For the baby, vaginal delivery is also better. Vaginal delivery is a natural physiological process. During labor, the squeezing of the birth canal helps most of the fluid in the fetal respiratory tract to be expelled, which is beneficial for establishing respiratory circulation after birth. In contrast, newborns delivered via cesarean section often have fluid retention in their respiratory tracts, increasing the risk of asphyxia and respiratory complications.