Both your own health and the health of your baby are important, and it's quite normal to have many questions about the process and procedure of childbirth. Whether to have a natural birth or a cesarean section? Water birth is another option. The decision on which type of delivery to choose will be determined by the health of both you and your baby. Your delivery method is determined based on the following factors, following discussions between the mother and the specialist doctor:
Prolonged labor
Failure of the cervix to dilate despite regular or irregular contractions
Changes in the baby's position in the uterus
Narrow pelvis
Expectation of a large baby
Difficulties in the baby's head (or breech) coming out of the vagina
Systemic or pregnancy-related diseases of the expectant mother
Active bleeding conditions
Normal Birth:
A normal birth occurs at the end of a completed pregnancy through regular contractions, allowing the baby to pass through the vagina. The biggest advantage is that the birth occurs naturally. The mother can return to normal activities within a few hours after birth and start breastfeeding the baby. The rate of breast milk coming in is higher compared to other types of childbirth.
Normal birth is generally not recommended in the following cases:
Multiple pregnancies
Being over 35 years old
Having had a uterine surgery such as a previous cesarean section
Using alcohol and substances
Experiencing complications during pregnancy, such as limited fetal growth
Having a history of diseases such as diabetes, blood clotting, pre-eclampsia
Risks: Heavy bleeding, birth tears and resulting complications (urinary incontinence, bladder prolapse, fecal incontinence), side effects of episiotomy (difficulty in sexual intercourse, pain), complications arising from problems in the baby during childbirth (shoulder dystocia, high-pressure difficult birth)
Cesarean Section:
A cesarean section is performed under anesthesia, either epidural or spinal, or in some cases, general anesthesia. It is chosen when it is determined that a normal birth is not possible. Cesarean section is performed in the following cases:
Multiple pregnancies
Placenta previa, where the placenta completely or partially covers the uterine opening
Umbilical cord abnormalities
Baby's breech or sideways position with the doctor unable to change the baby's intrauterine position, resulting in the baby's feet entering the birth canal
Failure of normal birth progression and severe vaginal bleeding
Baby weighing more than 4000 grams
Pelvic narrowness
High blood pressure during pregnancy
Untreated HIV and herpes simplex infection in the mother
Risks of cesarean section include prolonged recovery time, infection, bleeding, blood clots, injury to the child or the mother's organs (such as intestines or bladder), respiratory difficulties for the baby if performed before 39 weeks, negative reactions to medication or anesthesia, and increased risks for future pregnancies.
Anesthesia During Childbirth:
There are anesthesia methods available to minimize the pain experienced by the mother during childbirth. Although anesthesia is not preferred in the normal birth process, appropriate anesthesia methods can reduce the risks of complications while prioritizing the health of both the mother and the baby.
Anesthesia methods for normal birth include:
Epidural analgesia, applied in pregnancies where the process has progressed smoothly, with regular contractions and the cervix dilated to 3-7 cm, and only one baby in the head-down position between 38-42 weeks. This method allows the mother to actively participate in childbirth without feeling pain. In cases where normal birth does not progress, the dose of the anesthetic drug can be increased to convert to a cesarean section.
Anesthesia methods for cesarean section include:
General anesthesia or epidural anesthesia is applied. With general anesthesia, the mother is carefully monitored during the childbirth process after being administered by anesthesia specialists. After the mother falls asleep, the baby is delivered within three to five minutes, ensuring that the baby is not affected by anesthesia. The mother does not remember anything after general anesthesia.
Epidural anesthesia during childbirth is a type of anesthesia in which the anesthetic drug is administered outside the sheath called the "dura" that surrounds the spinal cord when active labor is in progress. Its effect lasts about 5-6 hours. In spinal anesthesia, the anesthetic drug is applied to the spinal canal and lasts about 2 hours, potentially causing a sudden drop in blood pressure in the mother. Therefore, in cesarean deliveries, both methods are often applied in combination.
When these two anesthesia methods are applied together, the mother remains conscious and has the chance to witness the moment of birth. Additionally, the mother does not feel any pain or discomfort during childbirth in both methods. The transfer of anesthetic drugs to the baby is minimal in both methods.
These methods cannot be used in the following cases:
If the mother is using blood-thinning drugs
If the mother has had lumbar hernia or other operations related to the lower back
In case of bleeding disorders in the mother
In cases of infection
This text is for informational purposes only. Consultation with a specialist should be sought when necessary.