Elective Births Before 39 Weeks Risky for Babies

A study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms other recent studies and news saying that due to the unpredictable nature of due dates and the fact that the uterus is the best place for your baby to be prior to 39 weeks - just say no to elective cesareans and inductions. As the March of Dimes explains, the nature of due dates is in question and when trying to induce or perform an elective cesarean, you can really be putting your baby at risk of prematurity. This causes your baby to be at risk for problems like:

• Trouble breathing
• Infection
• NICU admission
• Trouble eating

No one wants to risk their baby's health. And certainly, there are babies born safely in the 37-39 week window. What's the difference? Spontaneous labor. When your labor starts on its own during this time frame it's a good indicator that your baby is ready to be born. If your labor hasn't started it's because your baby needs more time inside. The last few weeks of pregnancy, your baby spends a lot of time on lung maturity and brain growth, both things that are vital to survival.

Related:

• Giving Birth by Cesarean Section
• Ways to Avoid a C-Section
• 10 Reasons to Choose VBAC
• Cesarean Scar Gallery
• VBAC Course
• VBAC Stories
• Cesarean Recovery
• Denied VBAC?
• Cesarean Picture Gallery: Step by Step
  
• Normal Birth Video
• Animation of Childbirth (Video)
• Cesarean Birth Video
  

_Source:

Timing of elective repeat cesarean delivery at term and neonatal outcomes. Tita AT, Landon MB, Spong CY, Lai Y, Leveno KJ, Varner MW, Moawad AH, Caritis SN, Meis PJ, Wapner RJ, Sorokin Y, Miodovnik M, Carpenter M, Peaceman AM, O'Sullivan MJ, Sibai BM, Langer O, Thorp JM, Ramin SM, Mercer BM; Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. N Engl J Med. 2009 Jan 8;360(2):111-20.

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