Normal Delivery Vs Cesarean – Risks & Benefits

During this beautiful experience of pregnancy, women get most bothered about many things like mood swings, headaches, body pain, cravings and the thought - ‘if it’s going to be a normal delivery or a caesarean’. We know you would be constantly thinking about which delivery option would be safer for you and your baby. So, here we have everything that you need to know about both the delivery options.

Normal Delivery - Pros And Cons

When it comes to childbirth, normal delivery is often considered to be the first choice and the safer option because it’s the natural process. First time mothers often prefer normal delivery, if they want to have more babies in the future. In this process your baby and body start to prepare and progress naturally for the childbirth. Women who undergo normal delivery avoid having many major surgical risks, such as scarring, severe bleeding, infection, and post pregnancy pain. Also, the recovery time and hospital stays are shorter compared to caesarean. Normal delivery also benefits your baby; the baby will ingest some protective bacteria while travelling through the birth canal which will boost his/her immune system. Moreover, normal delivery has lesser mortality rate for the mother.

However, there’s a risk of tearing, the skin or tissue around the vagina can stretch and tear while the baby moves through the birth canal. In some cases, normal delivery may increase your risk of urinary incontinence. Women may also experience pain in the area between their vagina and anus. If your baby is large and is delivered vaginally, there’s a risk that the baby may get injured during the birth process.

Caesarean Delivery – Pros And Cons

A caesarean is planned which makes it convenient for the mother to prepare herself mentally for the birth and schedule it in advance. You are less likely to suffer from urinary incontinence and there is no risk of tearing. If you are going to deliver a big baby it will avoid the risk of him/her getting injured during the process. If the mother suffers from infections such as HIV which she could pass along her baby, a C- section is considered as the best option to protect the baby from the same.

Because caesarean is planned childbirth your baby may not be ready or mature enough to be born yet; incorrect due date calculation can lead to major risks. It is a surgical process which leads to massive blood loss and may result in the mother being susceptible to infection and blood clots. It also leads to complications related to breastfeeding. The hospital stays and recovery period is longer as compared to normal delivery. The reason why mother often choose normal delivery is because once she has had her first C-section, she’s most likely to have C-section in her future delivery which puts her at a greater risk of future pregnancy complications.

Childbirth is all about safely delivering a healthy baby. Both the options has their risks and benefits that’s why you should always listen to your doctor and decide the option which will be best for both you and your little angel.