Caesarean section for a breech

Caesarean section is the most common way to deliver a breech baby in the USA, Australia, and Great Britain. Like any major surgery, it involves risks. Maternal mortality is increased by a Caesarean section, but still remains a rare complication in the First World. Third World statistics are dramatically different, and mortality is increased significantly. There is remote risk of injury to the mother’s internal organs, injury to the baby, and severe hemorrhage requiring hysterectomy with resultant infertility. More commonly seen are problems with noncatastrophic bleeding, postoperative infection and wound healing problems. It should be added that the increase in maternal mortality rates could be slightly skewed due to the fact that Caesarean sections are often used during high-risk pregnancies and/or when mortality is already a strong possibility.

One large study has confirmed that elective cesarean section has lower risk to the fetus and a slightly increased risk to the mother, than planned vaginal delivery of the breech however elements of the methodology used have undergone some criticism.

The same birth injuries that can occur in vaginal breech birth may rarely occur in Caesarean breech delivery. A Caesarean breech delivery is still a breech delivery. However the soft tissues of the uterus and abdominal wall are more forgiving of breech delivery than the hard bony ring of the pelvis. If a Caesarean is scheduled in advance (rather than waiting for the onset of labor) there is a risk of accidentally delivering the baby too early, so that the baby might have complications of prematurity. The mother’s subsequent pregnancies will be riskier than they would be after a vaginal birth (uterine rupture). The presence of a uterine scar will be a risk factor for any subsequent pregnancies.