# Wealthy Brazilian women have 90%-plus c-section rate

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wealthy-brazilian-women-have-90-plus-c-section-rate/658164>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 12, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wealthy-brazilian-women-have-90-plus-c-section-rate/658164 "2013-05-12T17:33:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wealthy-brazilian-women-have-90-plus-c-section-rate/658164/41 "2013-05-14T20:36:17Z")

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I wanted to post the March of Dimes comments about C-Sections:

[http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/csection\_indepth.html](http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/csection_indepth.html)

Particularly these parts:

> [@](#):
>
> What about the risks?  
> When c-sections are done, most women and babies do well. But c-section is a major operation with risks from the surgery itself and from anesthesia.
> 
> The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that 1 in 3 babies in the United States are delivered by c-section. Over the past few years, the rate of cesarean birth has increased rapidly. Some health care providers believe that many c-sections are medically unnecessary. When a woman has a cesarean, the benefits of the procedure should outweigh the risks.
> 
> The risk of late preterm birth  
> C-sections may contribute to the growing number of babies who are born “late preterm,” between 34 and 36 weeks gestation. While babies born at this time are usually considered healthy, they are more likely to have medical problems than babies born a few weeks later at full term.
> 
> A baby’s lungs and brain mature late in pregnancy. Compared to a full-term baby, an infant born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation is more likely to have problems with:  
> •Breathing  
> •Feeding  
> •Maintaining his or her temperature  
> •Jaundice
> 
> It can be hard to pinpoint the date your baby was conceived. Being off by just a week or two can result in a premature birth. This may make a difference in your baby’s health. Keep this in mind when scheduling a c-section.
> 
> Other risks for the baby  
> •Anesthesia: Some babies are affected by the drugs given to the mother for anesthesia during surgery. These medications make the woman numb so she can’t feel pain. But they may cause the baby to be inactive or sluggish.  
> •Breathing problems: Even if they are full-term, babies born by c-section are more likely to have breathing problems than are babies who are delivered vaginally.
> 
> Breastfeeding  
> Women who have c-sections are less likely to breastfeed than women who have vaginal deliveries. This may be because they are uncomfortable from the surgery or have less time with the baby in the hospital. If you are planning to have a cesarean section and want to breastfeed, talk to your provider about what can be done to help you and your baby start breastfeeding as soon as you can.
> 
> Risks for the mother  
> A few women have one or more of these complications after a c-section:  
> •Increased bleeding, which may require a blood transfusion  
> •Infection in the incision, in the uterus, or in other nearby organs  
> •Reactions to medications, including the drugs used for anesthesia  
> •Injuries to the bladder or bowel  
> •Blood clots in the legs, pelvic organs or lungs
> 
> A very small number of women who have c-sections die. Death is rare, but it is more likely with cesarean than with vaginal delivery.
> 
> If a woman who has had a cesarean section becomes pregnant again, she is at increased risk of:  
> •Placenta previa: The placenta implants very low in the uterus. It covers all or part of the internal opening of the cervix (the birth canal).  
> •Placenta accreta: The placenta implants too deeply and too firmly into the uterine wall.
> 
> Both of these conditions can lead to severe bleeding during labor and delivery, endangering mother and baby. The risk increases with the number of pregnancies.

Also this:

[http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/getready\_atleast39weeks.html](http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/getready_atleast39weeks.html)

> [@](#):
>
> Why do babies need at least 39 weeks?  
> Babies born too early may have more health problems at birth and later in life than babies born later. Being pregnant 39 weeks gives your baby’s body all the time it needs to grow.
> 
> Here’s why your baby needs 39 weeks: •Important organs, like his brain, lungs and liver, get the time they need to develop.  
> •He is less likely to have vision and hearing problems after birth.  
> •He has time to gain more weight in the womb. Babies born at a healthy weight have an easier time staying warm than babies born too small.  
> •He can suck and swallow and stay awake long enough to eat after he’s born. Babies born early sometimes can’t do these things.
> 
> …
> 
> Your due date may not be exactly right.  
> Sometimes it’s hard to know just when you got pregnant. Even with an ultrasound, your due date can be off by as much as 2 weeks. If you schedule to induce labor or schedule a cesarean birth (also called a c-section) and your date is off by a week or 2, your baby may be born too early.

I know for a fact that many, many women are not educated about these things, and there is still a prevalent opinion that a) smaller babies are better, because they are easier to deliver, and b) it’s no big deal to schedule your c-section on your own convenience, even if it’s before the baby’s due date.

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