A Debate on Natural delivery and C-Section Method:Why the US has a such a higher rate of C-section birth than most countries?

A Debate on Natural delivery and C-Section Method:Why the US has a such a higher rate of C-section birth than most countries?

     The debate on whether natural delivery is better than the C-section delivery method has been on the rise in the United States in the last few decades. Most Americans have held mixed opinions on what is the most effective method of giving birth. Cesarean section is a delivery method where women undergo through an incision or a cut on their abdomen during their delivery process. Occasionally, the process is undertaken under specific circumstances, especially where the baby is to be born lies in an abnormal position or is on a breech position or the baby’s head is too big to pass through the pelvic. In other instances, however, the mother may have a small pelvic, which makes it for the child to pass through. On the contrary, natural delivery incorporates natural processes where mothers give birth to their children in the usual way without undergoing any incision on their abdomen.  Natural delivery methods have been the norm of the day before the wake of technology, which gained momentum in the 21st century. However, this has not been the case in recent years, where more women undergo C-sections as part of their delivery process (Niino, 139).  Today, more than thirty percent of the child deliveries in the United States are done through C-section. In recent years, the United States has recorded more C-section deliveries more than any other part of the world. Health concerns, safety as well as healing processes have been the primary concerns in determining the most appropriate delivery methods for expectant women. Despite this, the United States has registered high rates of C-sections than any other country in the world. Based on this therefore, this paper focuses on examining why the United States has higher rates of C-sections compared to other parts of the world.

One of the primary reasons behind the increased C-section delivery method in the United States is the increased complications involved in virginal birth. Virginal birth, also known as natural delivery, is characterized by labor pains, which may turn to be severe in isolated cases. During the process, the cervix dilates, which is a primary source of labor pain. In a healthy childbearing process, the baby’s head must be aligned with the mother’s virginal opening. The baby’s head is moved and directed towards the virginal opening through uterine contractions. Usually, uterine contraction is an extremely strong experience that appears like menstrual cramps (Schlosberg et al. 40). Virginal delivery is characterized by periodic pushing of the baby. Pushing occurs at the second stage of labor, usually after the cervix has been entirely dilated and out of the baby’s head. With a smooth pathway in existence, the mother pushes the baby through the delivery canal from the uterus. The process is characterized by severe pains which prompt some women to take some painkillers to ease the pain. However, most women adopt to go for a medicine-free process where no painkillers or any other pain-reducing pills are involved. First-time mothers experience labor for long hours; usually, 12 to 14 hours compared to their counterparts. The process is quicker for subsequent mothers who have had successful virginal births before. According to Koroukian (210), first-time mothers are prone to slow cervical dilation, which may result in prolonged labor. However, other factors, such as multiple babies, slow effacement, as well as emotional factors, are a possible issue that may affect labor during childbirth.

Unlike virginal birth, C-section involves a form of surgery on the abdomen during childbirth. Most of the women who undergo C-section either do it willingly or as a result of a complication during childbirth. In a planned C-section, doctors carry out a medical assessment on expectant women to establish possible complications. The procedure is then where virginal delivery is found to be unsafe. Medical reasons or other complications may be possible reasons behind the practice (Ridley et al. 670). For instance, women who have diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart diseases are at risk of developing complications during childbirth. C-section can also be done as an emergency procedure where complications arise during the natural delivery process. For instance, labor may fail to progress normally due to placental abruption or high-stress levels on the part of the mother. Unlike virginal delivery, a C-section operation takes less than an hour to be completed. However, the baby is born within a quarter of an hour, making the process very fast and effective. The vast majority of these operations are carried out while the mother is still awake. The lower part of the body must be made numb to eliminate possible pain. Moreover, patients are allowed to take painkillers to ease the pain. However, there is a feeling of pressure and tugging sensation after the operations are done.  Most American’s prefer C-section as they feel it’s less complicated compared to C-section Method.

Another factor behind the increased C-section Delivery method in the United States compared to the rest of the world is the healing complications involved with the delivery method. According to Feldman et al. (250), healing time either in virginal or C-section method varies from one individual to another. The different woman possesses different levels of post-operative side effects, and thus the healing process cannot be fixed on a specific time limit. Generally, women who undergo virginal birth can stay in the hospital for one or two days before being discharged. After-birth effects such as soreness, cramping, and virginal bleeding are common in this kind of birth. A woman, in this case, may need two to three weeks to be fully healed. On the contrary, C-section tends to have severe side effects compared to virginal delivery (Misra 268). The operation may be catastrophic if not done meticulously. Mothers who deliver through this method tend to be weak with coughing and laughing pains due to the force that the two actions may have on the lower abdomen. Mothers who carry out the practice are more likely to stay in the hospital for longer days compared to their counterparts in virginal delivery due to the pain associated with the practice. Much care and resting are needed in this case. However, the practice may lead to fluids building up in the lungs, which require mothers to make some movements occasionally. Through proper medication, patients can recover within a period of five to eight weeks.  However, this depends on the amount of focus on the wound care given to the mothers.

Though virginal and C-section delivery methods have complications, the issue is more severe in C-section than in virginal birth. In virginal delivery, babies are made to pass through the virginal opening. In some cases, however, the opening may not be large enough to allow a baby to pass smoothly. Thus, women who give birth through this method may be made to undergo through virginal enlargement. The process may be complicated as those affected may be exposed to cuts that require stitches at the end of the day. Such a process can be very painful before mothers can be fully healed. However, the method is very healthy as mothers can easily breastfeed their babies within the shortest time, which improves the bonding as well as the health of the child. Moreover, there are fewer infections in virginal birth compared to the C-section method (Brown et al. 223). C-section is associated with multiple complications such as excessive bleeding, possible bladder injuries during incision. Furthermore, possible blood clothing, as well as infections, is possible during the process. However, such cases are rare as most of the operations are considered safe. According to Villarosa (11), virginal birth may be a life-threatening process, especially where complications arise. In most cases, expectant mothers experience labor pains for extended periods, which may be very harmful to both the mother and the child.

Based on the complications that C-section poses to women, normal delivery presents a more secure method of child delivery. According to Feldman et al. (250), C-section should only be used as an alternative where the normal delivery method fails. However, based on the high health risks in the United States among expectant mothers, most women in the country prefer the C-section method. With the method seen as a complicated one in the rest of the countries in the world other than the United States, the United States has maintained high rates of C-section delivery method compared to any other country in the world.

In conclusion, the use of natural or C-section delivery methods widely varies among different women. Cesarean section is a delivery method where women undergo through an incision or a cut on their abdomen during their delivery process. C-section is associated with high bleeding among women, possible effects on the bladder as well as high chances of infection. On the contrary, natural delivery incorporates natural processes where mothers give birth to their children through the normal way without undergoing any incision on their abdomen. C-section is believed to have more complications than virginal birth and thus it’s not popular in many countries in the world other than the United States. Thus, for many years now, the United States has maintained high C-section birth rates than any other country in the world due to the many complications associated with it.