Also called: C-section · Cesarean section
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Cesarean Delivery
A cesarean delivery, also called a cesarean section or c-section, is surgery to deliver a baby. The baby is taken out through your abdomen (belly). In the United States, almost one in three babies are born this way. Some cesarean deliveries are planned. Others are emergency cesarean deliveries, which are done when unexpected problems happen during delivery.
You may need a cesarean delivery because:
- You have health problems, including infection
- You are carrying more than one baby
- Your baby is too big
- Your baby is in the wrong position
- Your baby's health is in danger
- Labor is not moving along as it should
- There are problems with your placenta (the organ that brings oxygen and nutrients to your baby)
Not everyone who has had a cesarean delivery before will need another one next time. You may be able to have a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Talk to your health care provider about what is right for you.
Before the surgery, you will be given pain medicine. Depending on your circumstances, you might get:
- An epidural block, which numbs the lower part of the body through an injection in the spine.
- A spinal block, which numbs the lower part of the body through an injection directly into the spinal fluid.
- General anesthesia, which makes you unconscious during the surgery. This is often used during emergency cesarean deliveries.
During the surgery, the surgeon will:
- Make a cut in your abdomen and uterus. The cut is usually horizontal, but in some cases it may be vertical.
- Open the amniotic sac and take out your baby.
- Cut the umbilical cord and the placenta.
- Close the uterus and abdomen with stitches that will later dissolve.
A cesarean delivery is relatively safe for you and your baby. But it is still a major surgery, and it carries risks. They may include:
- Infection
- Blood loss
- Blood clots in the legs, pelvic organs, or lungs
- Injury to surrounding structures, such as the bowel or bladder
- A reaction to the medicines or anesthesia used
Some of these risks do also apply to a vaginal birth. But it does take longer to recover from a cesarean delivery than from a vaginal birth. And having a cesarean delivery can raise the risk of having difficulties with future pregnancies. The more cesarean deliveries you have, the more the risk goes up.
It sits within Women, Pregnancy and Reproduction and Female Reproductive System.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Cesarean Delivery
2,664 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- A RCT of Labor Induction at 39 Weeks in Low - Risk Women in ChinaWomen's Hospital School Of Medicine Zhejiang University
- Ultrasound-Guided Bilateral Transversalis Fascia Plane Block With vs Without Dexamethasone for Cesarean DeliveryBahçeşehir University
- Association Between Cesarean Scar Mobility and Menstrual Pain in Post-Cesarean WomenCairo University
- Lavender Sandalwood Aromatherapy StudyMemorial Hermann Health System
- Abdominopelvic Fascial Release for Post-Cesarean Menstrual Pain and Scar MobilityCairo University
- Effect of Amniotic Fluid Odor on Newborn Adaptation and Stress (AFO-NAS)Aydin Adnan Menderes University
Research already completed
- Nebulized Dexmedetomidine or Lidocaine for Treatment of Post Dural Puncture Headache in Parturients Undergoing Elective Cesarean Section Under Spinal AnesthesiaMinia University
- Investigation of the Effects of Early Skin-to-Skin Contact on Mother and Baby in Cesarean BirthsKutahya Health Sciences University
- The Effect of Breastfeeding Pillow on Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Postpartum Comfort in Women Who Had CesareanAtaturk University
- Evaluation of the Effect of Video-Based Breastfeeding Education Provided to Mothers Who Delivered by Cesarean Section and Vaginal Birth on Infant Feeding AttitudesZonguldak Bulent Ecevit University
- A Comparative Study Between Rectal and Intrauterine Misoprostol Administration in the Reduction of Blood Loss During and After Elective Cesarean Delivery in Low Risk WomenCairo University
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Cesarean Sections (C-Sections)Nemours Foundation
- Delivery by Cesarean SectionAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
- Having a C-SectionMarch of Dimes Foundation
- Labor and Delivery, Postpartum Care (Cesarean Delivery)Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- What Is a C-Section?Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Related Issues
- Breastfeeding after Cesarean DeliveryAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
- Repeat C-Sections: Is There a Limit?Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- VBAC: Know the Pros and ConsMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- What Is Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (VBAC)?Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Why at Least 39 Weeks Is Best for Your BabyMarch of Dimes Foundation
Statistics and Research
- FastStats: Births - Method of DeliveryNational Center for Health Statistics
- PeriStats (Perinatal Statistics)March of Dimes Foundation
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Cesarean SectionNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Cesarean Section. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Cesarean Delivery, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.