Caesarean Or Natural Birth - Which Is Safer?

While approaching the big day in your life, which every woman dreams about and every couple plans for, there is a critical decision which you as a woman or along with your partner have to take, to welcome the new life on earth. The decision is about whether you want to deliver the baby through the normal procedure or caesarian technique. This decision is crucial as both of the processes involve different approach for the delivery of the baby and affect the mother and the child in a variety of ways.

Vaginal Birth or Normal delivery
Across the world, normal delivery or the vaginal delivery is the most preferred option as it is the natural way of giving birth. Without any surgical procedure or minimal use of the knife being involved, vaginal birth is the safest for both the child and the mother. There are several benefits associated with vaginal birth.

In the normal or vaginal delivery, when the pregnant woman gets into labour without any drugs to induce the labour and the child is born without using instruments like vacuum or forceps it is called a Normal Vaginal Delivery (NVD). When the labour is induced, it is called Induced Vaginal Delivery. When the doctor uses forceps or vacuum to extract the baby, it is called Instrumental Vaginal Delivery. The mother has to bear excruciating pain during this process, but once the baby is delivered, there are no complications such as infections.

Caesarian Delivery
This is a surgical process where the abdomen and the uterus inside, is cut to take the baby out of the womb of the mother. Due to the less pain during the surgery, as the surgery is carried out by administering anaesthesia to the mother, women of this generation tend to choose this option. But one needs to understand that there are risks associated with it as with any surgery and there could be complications such as infection, heavy blood loss in mother and need for special care to the infant.

Why is normal delivery always better than caesarian procedures?
In the case of a normal delivery, you don’t need to stay at the hospital for long. You get discharged within 2-3 days and even less if you and your baby are completely healthy. The risk associated with anaesthesia is eliminated. And since there is no surgery involved, no danger of postoperative infections or life risk on the operation table. Also, you don’t have to bear the pain of the stitches for long as there none or minimal stitches. The mother can produce milk sooner than in the case of caesarian delivery. It also boosts the immunity system of your baby.

Though normal delivery involves severe pain during labour, in the long run, it is highly beneficial. Hence, caesarian delivery should be opted for only when the doctor recommends it due to medical reason as the only viable choice for you and your baby.