FAQs about C-sections

A guide for pregnant people on cesarean births, also known as c-sections, with answers to frequently asked questions, explanations on the experience of undergoing a c-section, questions to ask your doctor, and more.

Vaginal birth is much safer than a C-section for most women and babies. Sometimes a C-section is the only safe option, like when the baby is positioned side-to-side in the belly (transverse lie) or the placenta is covering the cervix (placenta previa). In other situations, having a C-section might have some possible benefits, and these need to be weighed against possible risks. You have the right to know these possible harms and benefits, and only you can decide how important they are to you.

SOURCE: Childbirth Connection and National Partnernship for Women and Families • AUTHOR: staff • LAST UPDATED: January 1, 2016