The International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) Opposes Elective Cesarean Section
A recent editorial by Dr. W. Benson Harer, Jr., President of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,
suggests that pregnant women should be given the "right to choose"
major abdominal surgery (cesarean section) or a normal, vaginal birth.
Dr. Harer claims that elective cesarean section and vaginal birth are
equally safe and therefore, either option should be made available to
women.
The International Cesarean Awareness Network opposes
the use of cesarean section where there is no medical need. Birth is a
normal, physiological process. Cesarean section is major abdominal
surgery which exposes the mother to all the risks of major surgery,
including a higher maternal mortality rate, infection, hemorrhage,
complications of anesthesia, damage to internal organs, scar tissue,
increased incidence of secondary infertility, longer recovery periods,
increase in clinical postpartum depression, and complications in
maternal-infant bonding and breastfeeding, as well as risks to the
infant of respiratory distress, prematurity and injuries from the
surgery.
Many of the long-term complications of vaginal birth
that Dr. Harer lists (urinary incontinence, uterine and bladder
prolapse) can be prevented by improved labor and birth techniques. For
example, episiotomies are associated with pelvic floor damage and
long-term complications. They have also been proven to be unnecessary
and harmful in most births, yet the majority of American women are
still subjected to this surgical procedure during a vaginal birth.
It has been suggested that cesarean section is the
safer method of birth for infants. However, scientific evidence proves
that infant outcome does not improve once the cesarean rate climbs
above 10 percent.
All physicians take an oath to "Do no harm". This
means choosing the path of least risk to patients. Medically
unnecessary elective cesareans increase risk to birthing women. It is
unethical and inappropriate for obstetricians to perform unnecessary
surgery on a healthy woman with a normal pregnancy.
Re: Did you have an elective C-Section?
https://www.ican-online.org/
for more info.
The International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) Opposes Elective Cesarean Section
A recent editorial by Dr. W. Benson Harer, Jr., President of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, suggests that pregnant women should be given the "right to choose" major abdominal surgery (cesarean section) or a normal, vaginal birth. Dr. Harer claims that elective cesarean section and vaginal birth are equally safe and therefore, either option should be made available to women.
The International Cesarean Awareness Network opposes the use of cesarean section where there is no medical need. Birth is a normal, physiological process. Cesarean section is major abdominal surgery which exposes the mother to all the risks of major surgery, including a higher maternal mortality rate, infection, hemorrhage, complications of anesthesia, damage to internal organs, scar tissue, increased incidence of secondary infertility, longer recovery periods, increase in clinical postpartum depression, and complications in maternal-infant bonding and breastfeeding, as well as risks to the infant of respiratory distress, prematurity and injuries from the surgery.
Many of the long-term complications of vaginal birth that Dr. Harer lists (urinary incontinence, uterine and bladder prolapse) can be prevented by improved labor and birth techniques. For example, episiotomies are associated with pelvic floor damage and long-term complications. They have also been proven to be unnecessary and harmful in most births, yet the majority of American women are still subjected to this surgical procedure during a vaginal birth.
It has been suggested that cesarean section is the safer method of birth for infants. However, scientific evidence proves that infant outcome does not improve once the cesarean rate climbs above 10 percent.
All physicians take an oath to "Do no harm". This means choosing the path of least risk to patients. Medically unnecessary elective cesareans increase risk to birthing women. It is unethical and inappropriate for obstetricians to perform unnecessary surgery on a healthy woman with a normal pregnancy.
Are you talking about a SCHEDULED c-section for a reason?? Or just an Electic c-section to avoid labor and delivery??