How is a caesarean section done? Planned caesarean section. Planned caesarean section How long does a caesarean section last

It may seem that nature has provided everything necessary for children to be born naturally, but, unfortunately, this is not always the case. There are situations when, for one reason or another, conventional childbirth is dangerous to the health or even the life of the mother and child. In this case, in order to reduce the possible risks, doctors have to resort to a caesarean section.

What it is?

A caesarean section is a surgical operation in which a baby is born through an incision in the front wall of the abdomen and uterus. This operation is performed in cases where complications during pregnancy or the state of health of a woman do not allow her to give birth naturally without harm to her own health and the condition of the child.

Considering that modern technologies have made surgery relatively safe, today, according to the World Health Organization, the number of children born abdominally is approaching 20%. In developed countries, this figure is almost twice as high, and Russia is no exception. In recent years, doctors have been trying to reverse this trend, as modern medical technologies make it possible to help women give birth to healthy children naturally, for whom surgery was the only way out just 10 years ago.

Pros and cons of a caesarean section:

In modern society, there are two opposing points of view. Some believe that a caesarean section is convenient, quick and relatively painless compared to conventional childbirth. Others are sure that if a mother is deprived of the opportunity to give birth on her own, this will have serious psychological consequences for her and the child, since an emotional connection between them will not be established at the time of birth. If we look at the picture objectively, it is easy to understand that both of these positions are erroneous.

A caesarean section, like natural childbirth, has its positive and negative sides. To prepare for the operation, it is important to study them in advance.

-pros

The operation takes only about 40 minutes, while natural childbirth, especially for the first time, can last from 12 hours to several days.

Natural childbirth often leads to external and internal ruptures of the genitals, almost every 5th woman, doctors are forced to do an episiotomy (perineal incision) to facilitate the birth of the child and avoid additional injuries. Both lead to the need for stitches, the operation avoids this.

Also, thanks to caesarean section, it is possible to prevent the exacerbation of various diseases not related to pregnancy, since the load on the woman's body is significantly reduced.

As another small advantage, it can be noted that with a planned caesarean section, in some cases, you can choose a specific day when the baby will be born.

- minuses

First of all, it is necessary to understand that any surgical intervention is a risk. Even the most experienced doctor cannot predict the outcome of the operation with 100% certainty.

The recovery process after a caesarean section is much longer and more painful, the first few days it is difficult to walk and get up, discomfort can persist for several weeks.

In the postoperative period, there are serious restrictions on weight lifting, physical activity, sudden body movements. Active sports will have to be forgotten for at least six months, and general cleaning on weekends should be postponed for 2 months or delegated to relatives.

Many are afraid that an ugly scar will remain after the operation, but a really ugly scar can appear only after an emergency cesarean, when the question is between life and death in the literal sense. During a planned operation, a small, even line remains below the linen level, which brightens and becomes hardly noticeable after a year.

There are unpleasant consequences for the child, for example, during abdominal childbirth, unlike natural, amniotic fluid may remain in the lungs of the baby, which will subsequently lead to the development of inflammation and respiratory diseases. It is worth noting that this happens quite rarely, however, such a possibility exists.

- popular misconceptions

On the Internet, you can often find information that after a caesarean section, due to restrictions on lifting weights, a woman is forbidden to take her own child in her arms. This is not true. Despite the fact that the allowable weight is no more than 3 kg, doctors strongly recommend that young mothers take their children in their arms and take care of them on their own immediately after the anesthesia has completely ended. An exception can only be very large babies (more than 4.5 kg). The child gradually gains weight, respectively, and the load on the damaged muscles increases smoothly. This contributes to recovery after surgery, the main thing is to do everything carefully and not to rush.

Another common misconception relates to psychological complications after surgery. There is an opinion that women who, for some reason, could not give birth naturally, find it more difficult to form an emotional connection with their child. In most cases, the emotional connection with the child is formed by the mother during all 9 months of pregnancy. With a planned operation, a woman can see her baby immediately after he was born. Possible psychological consequences are most often a reflection of the opinions of others or the condition of the mother herself (for example, a symptom of postpartum depression).

There is also no confirmed evidence that babies born by caesarean section develop more slowly, or have any psychological and physical difficulties that babies born naturally do not face.

Breast milk to mothers who have undergone surgery comes at about the same time as to ordinary women in labor. If you have the appropriate desire to establish lactation is not difficult.

And last but not least. In some sources, among the minuses of a caesarean section, you can find information that sexual rest will have to be observed for 2 months. This is an absolute truth, which applies equally to natural childbirth. To avoid inflammation, infections and other complications, all young mothers, regardless of the method of delivery, should refrain from having sex for at least 8 weeks. The only difference is that women who have undergone surgery need to be more responsible about contraceptive methods, since a new pregnancy earlier than 2 years later is categorically not recommended.

Indications and contraindications for caesarean section

To perform an operation, or to choose a natural birth - this is decided by the doctor, based on the results of the examinations of each particular patient, the opinion of the expectant mother herself, as a rule, does not play a significant role. In rare cases, when the situation is ambiguous and there are no absolute indications for caesarean section, a woman's desire to give birth on her own or go to the operating room can tip the scales in one direction or another. But asking for an operation if there is no indication for it, or giving birth naturally when there is a risk, definitely will not work.

All indications for caesarean section are divided into absolute and relative (natural childbirth is possible, but there is a risk of negative consequences).

Absolute readings:

failed suture on the uterus after a previous caesarean or other operations;
ovarian tumors, uterine fibroids, placenta previa and other obstacles to the passage of the child through the birth canal;
narrow mother's pelvis and large fetus;
multiple pregnancy with complications;
transverse presentation of the fetus;
the occurrence of situations that threaten the life and health of the mother and child (placental abruption, bleeding, fetal hypoxia).

Relative readings

high myopia (poor vision), diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous system, kidney disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus and a number of other maternal health problems;
breech or breech presentation of the fetus in combination with its large size;
post-term pregnancy (more than 41 weeks);
infections of the birth canal and genital organs (dangerous, as they can be transmitted to the child);
high blood pressure and pronounced edema;
weak or stopped labor activity, a long anhydrous period;
late delivery, poor history (miscarriages, abortions, miscarriages).

There are also other indications that the doctor determines on an individual basis. Sometimes complications arise directly in the process of childbirth, in which case an emergency operation is prescribed.

Contraindications to the behavior of caesarean section include:

the risk of developing inflammatory processes and sepsis in the mother (serious infectious diseases, HIV, preeclampsia, significant blood loss, etc.);
intrauterine fetal death;
malformations and deviations in the development of the fetus, incompatible with life;

In such conditions, a caesarean section is done only as a last resort, since the risk of developing peritonitis and other infectious processes is too high.

How many weeks is a caesarean?

In each case, the date of the operation is assigned individually. The optimal time for a planned caesarean section is the moment the first contractions begin. In any case, doctors try to focus on the PDR and, if possible, do not perform the operation before 37 weeks.

How the operation goes:

As mentioned earlier, caesarean section is planned and emergency. In the latter case, it is impossible to somehow prepare for the operation, since the woman in labor is on the operating table immediately after a possible threat is detected. But with a planned caesarean, some preparation is needed to reduce the possible negative consequences.

- preliminary stage

Since a caesarean section is an abdominal operation, it is not recommended to eat 12 hours before it starts. Immediately before the woman goes to the operating room, hygiene procedures are carried out: an enema is given and the hairs are shaved at the incision site. Having an empty bowel will help relieve strain on the injured muscles in the first few days after surgery, and the absence of hair will reduce the risk of stitch filling. After that, a urinary catheter is placed, which will be removed when the effect of anesthesia ends, the woman in labor changes into a special disposable shirt and lies down on the operating table, where she is treated with a special solution and anesthesia is administered. The place of operation is fenced off with a special screen so that the expectant mother herself could not observe the actions of the doctors.

- methods of anesthesia

In modern medicine, three methods of anesthesia are used for caesarean section: spinal, epidural and general anesthesia.

Spinal anesthesia is the most modern method of pain relief for this operation today. It is used for planned caesarean section. The puncture is carried out with a very thin needle and the woman experiences practically no pain, the drug is injected directly into the spinal membrane and begins to act literally 3-5 minutes after the injection. The duration of spinal anesthesia is about 2 hours. All this time, the woman is conscious and can see her child immediately after his birth.

Epidural anesthesia is similar in many ways to spinal anesthesia, but is now more commonly used for pain relief in natural childbirth. Nevertheless, sometimes its use for a planned caesarean section is possible. For epidural anesthesia, a thicker needle is used, and the drug is injected into the epidural space through a catheter. Such anesthesia begins to act in 15-20 minutes; during the operation, periodic administration of a new dose of the drug is required.

General anesthesia is used for emergency operations or in cases where, for some reason, the use of spinal or epidural anesthesia is not possible. In this case, the woman is unconscious. Doctors try to resort to general anesthesia as rarely as possible, since it has a lot of side effects and, unlike the first two methods, the drugs used are almost 100% likely to pass through the placenta into the baby's bloodstream.

The choice of the method of anesthesia is the task of the anesthetist, who will be in the operating room during the caesarean section and monitor the condition of the woman and the reaction of her body to the drugs administered.

- How long does the operation take?

A caesarean section takes approximately 40 minutes. First, doctors make an incision in the skin, muscles and uterus, during a planned operation, they most often make a transverse incision in the lower abdomen above the pubic bone, with an emergency caesarean, the incision is made longitudinally from the navel down, as this allows access to the child faster. The baby is born about 10 minutes after the start of the operation, the rest of the time is spent on the separation of the placenta, the processing of the internal space and suturing.

Possible consequences and complications after caesarean section

At the end of the operation, the woman is transferred to the intensive care unit, where she departs from the effects of anesthesia. The first time she is allowed to get up after 6 hours, this helps to avoid vein thrombosis. Epidural and spinal anesthesia have relatively few side effects, and tremors, headaches, and back pain may occur. After general anesthesia, it is more difficult to recover, this process may be accompanied by dizziness, nausea, confusion and other unpleasant symptoms.

As with any abdominal surgery, complications such as bleeding, inflammation, infection, intestinal adhesions, and suture separation (both internal and external) can develop. Also, in rare cases, damage to internal organs (for example, the bladder) can occur during the operation. If you have any suspicious symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.

The first few hours after the operation, the mother and child spend separately, so the baby is fed with a formula. Sometimes this can lead to difficulties in the development of the lactation process, but, as a rule, by the end of the first week everything returns to normal. In no case should you refuse the mixture without a doctor's recommendation, as this can lead to negative consequences for the child - a sharp weight loss, a drop in blood sugar levels, etc.

Recovery period after caesarean section

On the first day after the operation, a woman is only allowed to drink plain non-carbonated water; the next day, liquid cereals, light broth, boiled chicken meat can be introduced into the diet. A strict diet must be followed for at least 3 days.

The uterus after a caesarean section does not contract as quickly as after a vaginal delivery, so regular administration of oxytocin is necessary, and antibiotics and pain medication may also be prescribed. Several times a day, cold should be applied to the seam in order to reduce inflammation.

Wearing a postoperative bandage reduces pain in the first days, it becomes much easier to get up and move around with it. It is recommended to empty the bladder as often as possible, this also helps to reduce unpleasant and painful sensations.

The sutures must be processed regularly, after discharge, you will have to deal with this on your own, it is categorically not recommended to wet them for the first week. You should not take a bath or swim for 2 months after the operation. Washing is allowed only in the shower. Physical activity should be limited as much as possible, sports should be resumed no earlier than six months later. You can return to sexual activity after 1.5-2 months, but only after consulting a gynecologist. The next child should be planned no earlier than in 2 years, by which time the stitches will have completely healed and will be able to withstand a new pregnancy.

Finally

A caesarean section is an operation that allows you to save the health of a mother and her baby when something goes wrong during pregnancy or childbirth. Therefore, you should not be afraid of her. As it is not worth trying to give birth naturally at any cost, this price can be too high. If the doctor insists on a planned caesarean section, you should listen to his opinion. If this decision raises any doubts, it makes sense to consult with another specialist. It is also not necessary to insist on an operation; without evidence, no doctor will agree to take responsibility for unnecessary surgical intervention.

Specially for- Maria Dulina

For many decades, this operation - caesarean section - allows you to save the life and health of the mother and her baby. In the old days, such a surgical intervention was performed extremely rarely and only if something threatened the life of the mother in order to save the child. However, caesarean section is now being used more and more frequently. Therefore, many specialists have already set themselves the task of reducing the percentage of births carried out by surgical intervention.

Who should perform the operation?

First of all, you should figure out how a caesarean section is done and what consequences await a young mother. By themselves, childbirth by the surgical method is quite safe. However, in some cases, operations are simply inappropriate. After all, no one is immune from risk. Many expectant mothers ask for a caesarean section only because of fear of severe pain. Modern medicine offers in this case epidural anesthesia, which allows a woman to give birth without pain.

Such births are performed - caesarean section - by a whole team of medical workers, which includes specialists of a narrow profile:

Obstetrician-gynecologist - directly extracts the baby from the uterus.
Surgeon - performs an incision in the soft tissues and muscles of the abdominal cavity to reach the uterus.
A pediatric neonatologist is a doctor who takes in and examines a newborn baby. If necessary, a specialist in this profile can provide the child with first aid, as well as prescribe treatment.
Anesthesiologist - performs anesthesia.
Nurse anesthetist - helps to administer anesthesia.
Operating nurse - assists doctors if necessary.

The anesthesiologist should talk to the pregnant woman before the operation to determine which type of pain relief is best for her.

Types of caesarean section

Indications for caesarean section can be completely different, and the operation is performed in certain cases in different ways. To date, there are two types of childbirth carried out with the help of surgical intervention:

Emergency surgery is performed if any complication occurs during childbirth that requires urgent removal of the baby from the uterus. A planned caesarean section is performed in situations where the doctor is concerned about the progress of childbirth due to complications that arose during pregnancy. Let's take a closer look at the differences between the two types of operations.

Planned caesarean section

A planned operation (caesarean section) is performed with epidural anesthesia. Thanks to this method, a young mother has the opportunity to see her newborn baby immediately after the operation. When carrying out such a surgical intervention, the doctor makes a transverse incision. The child usually does not experience hypoxia.

emergency caesarean section

For an emergency caesarean section, general anesthesia is usually used during the operation, since the woman may still have contractions, and they will not allow an epidural puncture. The incision in this operation is mainly longitudinal. This allows you to remove the baby from the uterine cavity much faster.

It is worth noting that during an emergency operation, the child may already experience severe hypoxia. At the end of the cesarean section, the mother cannot immediately see her baby, as they do a cesarean section in this case, as already mentioned, most often under general anesthesia.

Types of incisions for caesarean section

In 90% of cases, a transverse incision is made during the operation. As for the longitudinal one, they are currently trying to do it less often, since the walls of the uterus are greatly weakened. In subsequent pregnancies, they can simply overstrain. A transverse incision made in the lower part of the uterus heals much faster, and the sutures do not break.

A longitudinal incision is made along the midline of the abdominal cavity from the bottom up. To be more precise, to a level just below the navel from the pubic bone. Making such an incision is much easier and faster. Therefore, it is he who is usually used for emergency cesarean section in order to extract the newborn baby as quickly as possible. The scar from such an incision is much more noticeable. If doctors have the time and opportunity, then during the operation a transverse incision can be made slightly above the pubic bone. It is almost invisible and heals beautifully.

As for the second operation, the seam from the previous one is simply excised.
As a result, only one seam remains visible on the woman's body.

How is the operation going?

If the anesthesiologist performs epidural anesthesia, then the site of the operation (incision) is hidden from the woman by a partition. But let's see how a caesarean section is done. The surgeon makes an incision in the wall of the uterus, and then opens the fetal bladder. Then the child is removed. Almost immediately, the newborn begins to cry a lot. The pediatrician cuts the umbilical cord, and then performs all the necessary procedures with the child.

If the young mother is conscious, then the doctor shows her the baby right away and can even let her hold it. After that, the child is taken to a separate room for further observation. The shortest period of the operation is the incision and removal of the child. It takes only 10 minutes. These are the main advantages of a caesarean section.

After that, doctors must remove the placenta, while treating all the necessary vessels with high quality so that bleeding does not start. The surgeon then sews up the cut tissue. A woman is put on a dropper, giving a solution of oxytocin, which accelerates the process of uterine contraction. This phase of the operation is the longest. From the moment the baby is born to the end of the operation, it takes about 30 minutes. In time, this operation, a caesarean section, takes about 40 minutes.

What happens after childbirth?

After the operation, the newly-made mother is transferred from the operating unit to the intensive care unit or intensive care unit, as a caesarean section is performed quickly and with anesthesia. The mother should be under the vigilant supervision of doctors. At the same time, her blood pressure, respiratory rate, and pulse are constantly measured. The doctor must also monitor the rate at which the uterus is contracting, how much discharge and what character they have. It is mandatory to monitor the functioning of the urinary system.

After a caesarean section, the mother is prescribed antibiotics to avoid inflammation, as well as painkillers to relieve discomfort.

Of course, the disadvantages of a caesarean section may seem significant to some. However, in some situations, it is precisely such childbirth that allows a healthy and strong baby to be born. It is worth noting that a young mother will be able to get up only after six hours, and walk on the second day.

Consequences of surgery

After the operation, stitches remain on the uterus and abdomen. In some situations, diastasis and suture failure may occur. If such effects occur, you should immediately consult a doctor. Comprehensive treatment of the divergence of the edges of the suture located between the rectus muscles includes a set of exercises specially developed by many specialists that can be performed after a cesarean section.

The consequences of this surgical intervention, of course, are available. The very first thing to highlight is an ugly seam. You can fix it by visiting a beautician or a surgeon. Usually, to give the seam an aesthetic appearance, procedures such as smoothing, grinding and excision are carried out. Keloid scars are considered quite rare - reddish growths form above the seam. It should be noted that the treatment of this kind of scars lasts a very long time and has its own characteristics. It must be carried out by a professional.

For a woman, the state of the suture that is made on the uterus is much more important. After all, it depends on him how the next pregnancy will go and what method the woman will give birth to. The suture on the abdomen can be corrected, but the suture on the uterus cannot be corrected.

Menstruation and sexual life

If there are no complications during the operation, then the menstrual cycle begins and passes in the same way as after natural childbirth. If a complication nevertheless arose, then the inflammatory can proceed for several months. In some cases, menstruation can be painful and heavy.

You can start having sex after childbirth with a scalpel after 8 weeks. Of course, if the surgical intervention went without complications. If there were complications, then you can start having sex only after a thorough examination and consultation with a doctor.

It should be borne in mind that after a cesarean section, a woman should use the most reliable contraceptives, since she cannot become pregnant for about two years. It is undesirable to carry out operations on the uterus for two years, as well as abortions, including vacuum ones, since such an intervention makes the walls of the organ weaker. As a result, there is a risk of rupture during a subsequent pregnancy.

lactation after surgery

Many young mothers who have undergone surgery worry that it is difficult to breastfeed after a cesarean. But this is absolutely not true.

Milk from a young mother appears at the same time as women after natural childbirth. Of course, breastfeeding after surgery is a little more difficult. This is primarily due to the characteristics of such genera.

Many doctors fear that the baby may get part of the antibiotic in the mother's milk. Therefore, in the first week, the baby is fed with a formula from a bottle. As a result, the baby gets used to it and it becomes much more difficult to accustom him to the breast. Although today babies are often applied to the breast immediately after surgery (on the same day).

If you do not have indications for delivery by caesarean section, then you should not insist on an operation. After all, any surgical intervention has its consequences, and it is not for nothing that nature has come up with a different way for the birth of a child.

The period of preparation for the birth of a baby is psychologically difficult: the pathology of labor or the state of health of a pregnant woman may lead to the need to perform a caesarean section during childbirth. How long such an operation lasts and how to recover after it, every expectant mother should know.

Cesarean section: long-term or short-term operation?

Surgical intervention during childbirth is prescribed:

planned (due to the presence of certain diseases in a woman or in case of incorrect presentation, excessive weight of the fetus);
urgently (with weak labor activity, premature birth).

How long a caesarean section lasts in time cannot be determined to the nearest minute - it depends on:

the success of the operation;
the presence of complications during pregnancy;
the number of health workers involved;
professional skills of the surgeon;
weight of the patient (excess weight complicates access to the fetus).

A caesarean section should be performed by an operating team consisting of:

obstetrician-gynecologist;
2 assistants;
anesthesiologist and his assistant;
nurse;
neonatologist (specialist in resuscitation of premature babies).

Caesarean section in the absence of complicating factors lasts 35-45 minutes. After 5-7 minutes, the voice of a newborn will sound in the operating room: the child will be removed, his respiratory organs will be cleaned. But the operation can be considered completed only after examining the incision cavity, suturing and processing sutures, applying a bandage to the woman in labor.

Significantly increases the time required for a caesarean section if the abdominal operation is repeated. In places of tissue damage, adhesive processes begin, increased connective tissue in volumes can complicate access to the uterus. The more peritoneal surgery you have had, the more adhesions the doctor will need to remove before removing the baby. On average, such an operation will take 1-2 hours, and in complex cases it may exceed this time limit.

The experience of the surgeon is an important component of the speed and success of the caesarean section. Medicine is developing - a specialist's mastery of new methods of conducting abdominal operations, and even more so their regular use in practice, can reduce the duration of a caesarean section to 20-25 minutes. But a solid work experience is not always a guarantee of completing the intervention as soon as possible.

If the woman in labor does not have the problem of excessive weight and an abundance of adhesions, and the operation is performed by a highly qualified surgeon, more time will have to be spent on surgical procedures in the case of multiple pregnancies. If you are expecting twins or twins, the caesarean section will last up to 60 minutes.

With a planned intervention, you have the right to receive information from the doctor in advance about the expected duration of the operation, taking into account your history. But, if the decision to perform a caesarean section is taken urgently, the surgeon's actions vary depending on the problems found, and the process can be extended.

Read also:

Cesarean section - is it safe?

How long does a caesarean section with epidural anesthesia take?

Anesthesia is a necessary measure for any surgical intervention. The caesarean section is no exception. When conducting a "royal incision", the following main types of anesthesia are used:

epidural (local anesthesia);
general anesthesia.

For local anesthesia:

Pain medication is injected into the spinal cord through a thin needle.
As a result of the injection, the part of the body below the injection site completely loses sensitivity.

General anesthesia is performed by inhaling an analgesic through a mask.

How long does a caesarean section with epidural anesthesia take? It can be expected that the operation will be completed in approximately the same period of time as with general anesthesia - it will take about half an hour. And if complications that hinder the work of the doctor are detected, it takes more than an hour.

How long do they stay in the hospital after a caesarean section?

A woman in labor who underwent a caesarean section should be under the supervision of doctors in the operating room for 1-2 days. In the absence of complications, the newly-made mother is transferred to the general ward, where she needs to spend another 3-4 days.

After discharge, the recovery period continues for about 2 months. The scar on the uterus will heal completely only after six months. It is through such a time interval that the next pregnancy is allowed. The doctor may prescribe additional medications to speed up the process of contraction of the operated uterus, as well as anti-inflammatory and painkillers.

Read also:

Correct recovery after caesarean section

Cesarean section in the presence of medical indications is a necessary surgical intervention and passes in most cases successfully, without any special complications. Don't worry too much if you're having a caesarean section. How long does such an operation last and how does it go - information with which you can understand what awaits you and stabilize your psychological state, because the baby should have a healthy and happy mother.

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C-section- a surgical operation used to remove the baby through an incision in the abdominal wall and uterus if vaginal delivery is considered too difficult and dangerous for the mother and/or baby.

Before the start of independent childbirth, cesarean section is done to women:

with an anatomically narrow pelvis or a tumor of its bones;
if there is bleeding with placenta previa or if a normally located placenta begins to exfoliate prematurely;
if the postoperative scar on the uterus is in poor condition;
if the fetus experiences an acute lack of oxygen (hypoxia);
if the mother suffers from severe toxicosis that cannot be treated (late preeclampsia);
if a woman has heart disease, severe hypertension, bronchial asthma, diseased kidneys;
if the expectant mother has a high degree of myopia (more than 5 diopters) and there is a danger of a serious complication - retinal detachment and blindness (in this case, it is important to exclude attempts).

Very often, a planned caesarean section is performed according to the so-called combined indications. What does it mean?

Let's say the first birth is coming to an "elderly" woman according to obstetric canons (from 28 years old and older). Age itself is not yet the reason: many "age primiparous" cope on their own, although not as easily as it happens at 20-25 years old. And if the pregnancy is also still delayed, the fetus is large, then, in addition to age, it is quite likely that troubles will occur during childbirth. Childbirth may be protracted, the child will not have enough oxygen and there is a possibility that he may die. In addition, many have already had several abortions by the age of 30, others have been treated for infertility for a long time or have already acquired some kind of chronic disease. What if this pregnancy is the only one that was saved and carried through to the end? Then the question of whether or not to be a mother to this woman depends entirely on the method of delivery ...

By the way, caesarean section is almost always inevitable due to numerous abortions. After them, dystrophic and cicatricial changes form in the uterus, inflammatory processes occur - and the consequences of abortions stretch into pregnancy in a chain: placental insufficiency, weakness of labor, fetal hypoxia ...

Duration of caesarean section

The operation usually lasts about an hour, repeated - longer. Already at 10-15 minutes from the beginning of the operation, the fetus is removed and it is out of danger.

How to behave after surgery

If the operation ended without complications, after a few hours you can turn in bed, move your legs, and the next day you can sit down and walk around the ward. You can feed your baby 2 hours after the operation. On the 6-7th day, the sutures will be removed from the abdominal wall and the mother and child will be discharged home under the supervision of a antenatal clinic doctor. However, the healing of the sutures on the uterus and abdominal wall is still ongoing, and you have to be careful. Do not take the child out of the low crib or stroller (you can take it from the changing table and hold it in your arms). In the first 2-3 months, do not lift anything heavier than 5 kg.

Perhaps, within a month or even several, a slight pulling pain in the lower abdomen will be felt. It is associated with uterine contraction and scar healing.

If you suddenly feel a sharp pain, if abundant bloody, purulent discharge from the vagina reappears, if the temperature rises, contact the antenatal clinic immediately. It is possible that endometritis has developed - inflammation of the uterine mucosa, and urgent treatment is required.

The healing of the suture on the anterior abdominal wall is usually smooth and painless. Only in very rare cases, it becomes inflamed, begins to fester. Then urgently to the surgeon - it is impossible for the inflammatory process to go deep into the abdomen, to the underlying tissues.

When can I have a baby after a caesarean section?

Over the next 2-3 years, neither childbirth nor artificial termination of pregnancy is desirable. In the first case, the scar on the enlarged uterus will not be able to fully form, and complications will arise again; and during abortion there is a danger of perforation of the uterus where the former incision is located.

Therefore, shortly after the operation, it is necessary to decide with the gynecologist which method of contraception is best to use.

Almost all women who have had a caesarean section can and should, for safety reasons, continue to give birth naturally, if there are no contraindications to this. However, when indications for delivery persist, two or more caesarean sections may be performed with a high success rate.

Pain relief during caesarean section

For anesthesia, as with any abdominal surgery, the pregnant woman receives anesthesia.

Epidural anesthesia: an anesthetic is injected into the so-called epidural space of the spinal cord in the lumbar region. The pain is removed in the lower part of the body, you can even talk with the woman in labor.

Epidural anesthesia for caesarean section

An epidural is usually used to relieve pain during a caesarean section. Epidural anesthesia is usually performed with the woman in labor sitting up straight or lying on her side, curled up to give the anesthesiologist optimal access to the spine. If the trial dose is successful, then a catheter is usually left in the epidural space, through which the drug is added as needed, the dose of which is varied as needed. The procedure itself is described by a wide variety of epithets, from "unpleasant" to "very painful."

Often, because of contractions, it is very difficult for a woman in labor to bend over. Local anesthesia is more painful than the insertion of an epidural needle, because at the time of insertion of the needle, the woman in labor no longer feels anything. Most women feel a “push and tingle” at this point. Rarely, the needle can catch on a nerve, causing a leg cramp or a sudden “shooting” pain. This is normal and does not mean that you are at risk of paralysis.

The sensations of a woman in labor after anesthesia depends on the combination of medication, the stage of labor and many other factors. Some women feel contractions, but do not feel their pain. Others recall that they felt absolutely nothing - from the nipples to the very knees, their body was numb. Be sure to discuss with the anesthetist your possible sensations so that they do not come as a surprise to you.

After the baby is born, the catheter and the adhesive tape securing it are removed. However, even after this, the mother may feel numbness in her legs for several hours. In rare cases, the period of numbness can stretch for a longer time. Pain at the injection site is not ruled out.

Intubation (endotracheal) anesthesia is used much less frequently: a tube is inserted into the windpipe through which oxygen and nitrous oxide enter. Before the extraction of the fetus, the woman is given gentle anesthesia with the most minimal doses. Only when the child is separated, they give deep anesthesia - the operating field has yet to be closed. Currently, a transverse suprapubic suture is made about 12 cm long, such a suture heals better and looks great cosmetically. For emergency surgery, the incision can be made from the navel vertically down.

Starting from the 38th week, the pregnancy is considered full-term, which means that very soon the mother will be able to hug her long-awaited baby. Unfortunately, not all women can afford such a "luxury" as natural childbirth, due to various health problems. In addition, some complications of the course of labor, such as a clinically narrow pelvis, weakness of labor, premature detachment of the placenta, etc., also require surgical intervention. To help the baby be born, obstetricians-gynecologists perform a caesarean section.

A caesarean section is a surgical intervention during which the doctor makes an incision in the abdominal cavity, followed by opening the uterus and extracting a live fetus from it. After the birth of the child and separation of the placenta (placenta), the surgeon restores the integrity of the uterus and abdominal walls, and the operation is considered completed. Of course, many pregnant women, preparing for a planned surgical intervention, are interested in how long a cesarean lasts. It is rather difficult to answer this question unambiguously, because in terms of time, a cesarean can last from 25 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the complexity of the operation being performed. Let's try to figure out what factors can affect the duration of the operation.

How long does a caesarean take? Surgeon qualification.

Not only the outcome of the operation, but also its duration depends on the professionalism of the surgeon. As in other specialties, the high skill of the operating obstetrician-gynecologist is achieved through frequent repetitions, therefore, the more successful caesarean sections are on the account, the more perfect the technique of performing surgical intervention.

It is worth noting that not only the experience of an obstetrician-gynecologist is important, but also his ability to learn. How long the caesarean section will last in time will also depend on the surgeon's mastering new methods of performing the operation, which are being improved every year. Naturally, the work experience of an obstetrician-gynecologist matters, but is not decisive when choosing a specialist for a caesarean section.

How long does a second caesarean section take?

Any abdominal operation, including a caesarean section, is a great stress for the body. Firstly, blood loss during surgery is at least 350 ml, which requires compensation from the cardiovascular system. Secondly, during surgery, the tissues of the abdominal cavity, including the abdominal muscles, are damaged. Everyone knows that damaged muscle tissue recovers for a long time, as it is deprived of the ability to fully contract. And most importantly, the body reacts very violently to such global damage, trying to compensate for them as quickly as possible. This leads to the development of the adhesive process - the growth of connective tissue in response to damage to organs and tissues. It follows from this that the second caesarean will last much longer than the first operation, since the formation of adhesions makes it difficult to access the pregnant uterus. How long does a caesarean section last in such cases is a rather complicated question, everything will depend on the number of abdominal operations in the anamnesis and the degree of development of adhesive disease.

IMPORTANT! Extraction of the fetus occurs at 3-5 minutes from the start of the operation, regardless of the degree of adhesions. The faster the child is removed, the less likely the anesthesia will affect his body.

How long does a caesarean take? If there are complications.

As mentioned earlier, how long a caesarean will last depends largely on the complications that arise during the operation. The operation of caesarean section may be accompanied by the following complications:

septic complications (endometritis, sepsis);
trauma to adjacent organs (damage to the wall of the bladder, intestines);
bleeding (develops due to poor contraction of the uterus);
loss of an organ (removal of the uterus with its complete atony - inability to contract).

Some of the above complications develop after surgery, while others occur during surgery. For example, if the bladder is damaged, the caesarean section lasts more than two hours. In such a situation, a urological surgeon is invited to the operating room, who restores the integrity of the damaged organ during the operation itself.

The development of hypotonic bleeding is one of the most dangerous complications of the operation. How long can a caesarean section last with uterine hypotension - no one can answer this question until the bleeding is stopped. The uterus, stretched during pregnancy, after the removal of the fetus and placenta, should contract in order to compress the gaping vessels and reduce blood loss. To help the uterus restore its contractility, surgeons use all known methods - intrauterine administration of oxytocin, curettage of the uterine cavity, suturing, etc. If the surgeon's manipulations do not give an effect, the issue of removing the organ is decided. In some cases, hysterectomy is the only way to save a woman's life.

How long does a cesarean last: planned and urgent operations.

Cesarean section can be performed both urgently and in a planned manner. The urgency of the operation depends on the indications. When registering for pregnancy in a antenatal clinic, the doctor collects a detailed history in order to have an idea about the further management of pregnancy and childbirth. For example, in the presence of a heart disease or retinal detachment in a woman, an obstetrician-gynecologist strongly recommends a caesarean section in a planned manner, in order to turn off the straining period of childbirth. A planned caesarean section is also performed if the birth of a child through the natural birth canal is impossible or very dangerous. This situation occurs with a foot or transverse position of the fetus, multiple pregnancy, placenta previa, anomalies in the development of the uterus, etc.