There are no additional benefits or risks of the types of delivery

Stating that normal birth is always the first choice as long as the conditions are suitable and there is no risk for the mother and baby, experts state that many complications may occur in normal birth. Stating that the belief of ‘the obligation of having a normal birth' has been abandoned today, Prof. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin said that safe birth for mother and baby has come to the fore. Pointing out that life-threatening risks may arise for both the mother and the baby in cases such as the baby's inability to progress through the birth canal, Ertekin said, "According to today's knowledge, the type of delivery does not have additional benefits or risks in terms of the general health of the baby, except in extraordinary cases."

Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences Dean Prof. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin explained the difference between normal birth and cesarean delivery.

In difficult births, it may be necessary to remove the mother's uterus to save her life

Stating that in normal birth, the baby is born by leaving the mother's body through the vaginal route with the natural contractions of the uterus, Prof. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin explained the cesarean delivery as follows:

"In cesarean delivery, the anterior abdominal wall layers are opened respectively with the skin incision made in the abdomen. When it reaches the abdominal cavity, the baby is delivered by a doctor from the abdomen with the incision made in the uterus. After the baby is born, all incisions in abdominal folds are sutured in accordance with the anatomy and procedure, and delivery is performed by cesarean section.

Referring to which birth option may pose a risk to the mother and the baby in which situations, Prof. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin explained these risks as follows:

"Babies who are overweight may get stuck while passing through the birth canal during normal birth, and their heartbeat may be impaired. In such cases, a cesarean section may be urgently required, and even the baby may die if it is not intervened in time. In cases such as compression of the shoulder area in the birth canal, loss of arm functions due to collarbone fracture or damage to the neck and arm nerves, brain damage (cerebral palsy) may occur due to insufficient oxygen supply to the brain.

Mentioning that some risk factors may occur in the mother if the baby cannot progress in the birth canal, Ertekin said that "Uterine rupture or bleeding that occurs after birth can be seen in the birth canal or external genital area due to very strong contractions of the uterus. In such cases, if the intervention is delayed, the mother may lose her life. Sometimes, in case of bleeding that cannot be stopped with drugs or interventions, it may be necessary to remove the uterus even if the mother is young, even if she is young, to save her life. In such cases, choosing cesarean delivery is the right approach."

Conditions that prevent the baby from progressing through the birth canal can be life-threatening

Pointing out that in cases where the baby, known as reverse birth, enters the birth canal with the baby's hip part or the baby stands on its side in the mother's womb, which is called transverse posture, uterine rupture in the mother and severe injuries and even death may occur in the baby, Prof. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin stated that in such cases, cesarean section should be chosen instead of normal delivery.

Ertekin said that "Fibroids that close the birth canal in the mother can prevent normal birth by preventing the baby's progress in the birth canal or cause severe bleeding after birth," and pointed out that if a normal or cesarean delivery is performed in such cases, bleeding and clot distribution to other parts of the body may occur afterwards. Ertekin added that since blood will not go beyond the vessels blocked by the clot, that area will not be fed, the cells will die, and related problems may arise and even cause death.

Viral diseases in the external genital area can be passed to the baby through normal delivery

Pointing out that there is a risk of infection in pregnancies where the water bladder is opened prematurely, Prof. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin said that "If infection occurs and the baby is born normally or by cesarean section, serious infections may occur in the mother and baby. In this case, cesarean delivery is not preferred; however, it can be done in case of necessity to save the life of the baby."

Stating that viral diseases in the external genital area such as herpes and condyloma in the mother have a risk of passing to the baby through normal birth and causing severe infection, Ertekin said that "In those with blood clotting disorders or those who have previously had vascular coagulation diseases, there is a risk of both bleeding and recurrence of the disease after both types of delivery."

There are no additional benefits or risks of the mode of delivery

Stating that the belief of 'no matter what, there must be a normal birth' has been abandoned today, Prof. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin said that safe birth for mother and baby has come to the fore. Ertekin said that "According to today's knowledge, there is no additional benefit or risk of the delivery method in terms of the general health of the baby, except in extraordinary cases."

Normal birth is possible for mothers whose first birth was cesarean section

Referring to the issue of whether mothers whose first birth was cesarean section can have a normal birth, Prof. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin said that "If sufficient time has passed since cesarean section (usually 2 years) and there is no problem afterwards, if an emergency such as uterine rupture and deterioration of the baby's heartbeat develops, if there is an opportunity to perform cesarean section within minutes, and if the patient accepts normal birth after the possible risks are explained to the patient, normal delivery after cesarean section can be tried."

Ertekin concluded his remarks as follows:

"As long as the conditions are right and there is no risk to the mother and baby, normal birth is always the first choice. Thus, the main goals are to reduce the risk of uterine rupture, recurrent cesarean section requirements and related surgery risks in subsequent pregnancies."

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)