How safe is a caeserean?

My first baby was born by emergency caesarean at a small rural doctor by an old surgeon who still favoured the vertical incision. I look a bit like I have a zip running down my stomach! My current doctor is determined to deliver my second baby by caesarean too, due to the scar position. I would dearly love to have a natural birth. Is it worth asking for a second opinion?

A second opinion is always a good option if you are unsure, and can help you to accept a situation such as this one. However, it is highly likely that every other doctor that you consult will support this decision to deliver your baby surgically, although the second deliver may well be by horizontal incision. Although the chances of problems are small, there are documented cases of uterine rupture during labour when a woman had a vertical incision for the first delivery. Should this happen, both your life and that of your baby would be endangered, and this is not a risk many doctors would be willing to take. If rupture did occur, your doctor would not have much time to deliver the baby, and you would run the risk of having an immediate hysterectomy. There is often no other way to stop the uterus from bleeding. This information is not meant to alarm you, just to give you some insight into the decision that the doctor has made. He really does have the best interests of you and your baby at heart.

See also:

Caesarean – Description
Caesarean – Disappointment
Caesarean – Emergency
Caesarean – Partners
Caesarean – Feeling ashamed
Caesarean – Safety
Caesarean – Reason
Caesarean – Recovery