Understanding Cesarean Section: A Medical Intervention

In the age of instant information, it's easy for expectant parents to become overwhelmed by stories, statistics, and well-meaning advice about birth. One area where I see significant misunderstanding is around cesarean section and when it becomes necessary. Today, I want to address some common misconceptions and offer a perspective grounded in both medical reality and faith.

What Cesarean Section Really Is

There's a fundamental misunderstanding many people have about C-section. It's often viewed as a "rescue" from labor, but this perspective misses the mark entirely.

Cesarean section is a major surgical intervention with its own substantial health risks, both short-term and long-term. It is a risk-laden procedure that is generally best avoided until the risks of the current maternal or neonatal situation clearly outweigh the risks of the surgery itself. Far from rescuing a mother from labor, a cesarean actually introduces more risk than labor or vaginal delivery would ordinarily carry.

A cesarean is a medical decision made based on specific circumstances of either maternal or neonatal health that indicate continuing toward vaginal birth would be more dangerous than surgical delivery. It has its place and can be truly lifesaving when medically indicated. But otherwise, it should generally not be seen as the easier or safer default option.

(c) Marie Farver RN BSN IBCLC RLC 1.2.2026