It protects the mother in the long term from suffering incontinence, but the experts warn of a serious problem.
Cesarean delivery protects the mother in the long term from incontinence and other problems related to the pelvic floor muscles but increases the risk of miscarriage and complications with the placenta in later pregnancies.
This is clear from a study led by Oonagh Keag, of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (United Kingdom), which publishes the specialized journal “Plos Medicine”. The research focuses on the long-term consequences of vaginal deliveries versus cesarean deliveries.
According to experts, the latter are increasing worldwide. In 2016, in Western Europe, they accounted for 24.5 percent, while in North and South America the rate is 32 and 41 percent, respectively.
Often, gynecologists opt for cesarean when complications occur during delivery, but in many cases, this intervention is not necessary and is carried out by the mother’s desire or because it allows for better planning.
Although the imminent risks associated with the caesarean section, such as infections or thrombosis, are minimal, and future mothers are usually well informed, this is not the case with the long-term consequences of the operation, due among other factors to the lack of conclusive studies.
The new research compiles all the studies available to date, analyzing the data of almost 30 million women. They conclude that cesarean delivery decreases the risk of urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor disorders such as prolapses of the bladder, urethra or other organs.
The Warnings
Delivery by C-Section slightly increases the risk of having an abortion or giving birth to a dead baby, the research notes. In addition, it increases the danger of problems related to the placenta, such as poor positioning of the placenta, lack of adherence or premature detachment.
In addition, the research indicates that babies born through cesarean section have an increased risk of asthma up to 12 years and an increased risk of overweight to five years. Therefore, the experts ask that the parturients be better informed of the advantages and disadvantages of the intervention.
However, the study recognizes that to a large extent its results are based on direct observation, which does not guarantee a causal relationship between cesarean section and the consequences linked to it in the long term. To do this, the researchers add, more studies are needed.
