Cesarean Section
Definition
A cesarean section (also referred to as c-section) is the birth of a fetus accomplished by performing a surgical incision through the maternal abdomen and uterus. It is one of the oldest surgical procedures known throughout history.
Purpose
Although Healthy People 2010 established a goal of a 15 percent rate for c-sections in the United States, the ideal rate has not been established. As of 2004, the average c-section rate is one out of every four births or approximately 26 percent of all births. A c-section allows safe and quick delivery of a baby when a vaginal delivery is not possible. The surgery is performed in the presence of a variety of maternal and fetal conditions with the most commonly accepted indications being complete placenta previa, cephalopelvic disproportion...
[The entire page is 3429 words long]