If you are among the many Louisiana women who deliver babies via Cesarean section every year, you may have had prior knowledge that you would give birth by this method, or it may have come as a complete surprise. Nowadays, C-sections are becoming increasingly common in America, accounting for more than a quarter of all deliveries, but the procedure also poses a number of risks for mother and baby. At the law office of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., we have a firm understanding of the health complications many mothers and babies face after C-sections, and we have helped many affected families seek recourse.
Virtually all types of surgical procedures pose at least some degree of risk, and the dangers faced by mothers who give birth via C-section are similar to those faced by anyone undergoing abdominal surgery. Per AmericanPregnancy.org, you run the risk of an infection when you undergo a C-section, and the infection can develop in your incision site, or in your uterus or another pelvic organ.
Blood transfusions are also necessary for between one and six out of every 100 women who give birth via C-section. Women who deliver in this manner are more likely to lose substantial amounts of blood than women who deliver vaginally. You also run the risk of developing scar tissue in your pelvic region after a C-section, which can cause pain and related complications.
Your baby, too, is at risk when you deliver via C-section. If your doctor did not properly estimate your baby’s gestational age, the infant can suffer from low birth weight and related problems. Your baby can also be nicked or cut during the procedure, and he or she may also have lower-than-average APGAR scores, which is common among C-section babies. More about medical errors and complications is available on our web page.