What happens in an Emergency C-Section?

Question

I'm not pregnant yet, but hopefully soon. This probably sounds kind of dumb, but I was just curious about the difference between an emergency c-section vs. a scheduled c-section? I know the obvious that one's an emergency and one is scheduled, but other than that. Anyone ever had one that can shed some light on what goes on?

Answer 1

I have had a scheduled section and will do so again in December.  A scheduled section is done for one of two reasons...  The first reason is if you have pre-diagnosed problem that would prevent you from having normal delivery.  In my case, I had a fibroid that was blocking my daughter from turning around during the last weeks of my pregnancy.   The doctor recommended that I have the procedure so that we both don't go through any stress of labor.  The second reason would be if you had a previous section, your doctor/insurance would recommend having another so that there would be no damage to the uterus.

An emergency section is just that.  If you having a slow or non-progressive delivery, your baby is in danger, or you are in danger, you would get delivered immediately.

In both procedures, you go through the same process.  You are awake the entire time in most circumstances.  They give you an epidural in your back and prepare you for surgery.  Your spouse or family member can be in the room with you during the procedure unless something is drastically wrong.  From start to finish the procedure usually takes 30 mins.  May be longer depending on how many sections you may have had due to the accumulation of scar tissue.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

My emergency c-section they had to put me to sleep because there wasn't time to give me a spinal block.  Emergency is just what it says.  It has to be done quickly because the baby or the mother is in danger.  If you have already had an epidural while trying to deliver naturally you may not be put to sleep, but mine happened quickly so there just wasn't time for that.  I was only 25 weeks pregnant and was pregnant with multiples.  My second c-section wasn't scheduled because I did go into labor on my own, but my dr wanted to do another c-section because of my prior one.  I was already in labor and having contractions, but the baby nor I was in danger so they had time to give me the spinal meds and to take everything slower so it wasn't considered an emergency.  

Answer 3

In an emergency section, the focus is on getting baby out as quickly as possible.  So, if mom doens't have an epidural already, she would probably be given a general anesthetic (since that's much faster.) The incision would be cut as quickly as possible, with cosmetic results of secondary importance.

(Keep in mind that true emergency sections are quite rare.  Most of the time, if a woman and/or doctor decide to go for a section DURING labor, it's due to slow progressing labor, non-critical fetal distress, fatigue ... or even the doctor's impending tee-time.  This sort of c-section would progress much like a planned one -- since there is plenty of time.)

Answer 4

Well, they weren't planning on you having a c-section. In an emergency c-section, they have to make sure the operating room space is available, they have to get a team of people together to do it (for instance, making sure the anesthesiologist is available), etc.    In a scheduled c-section, staff know that they are expected to be there and their role ahead of time.     The mom is more relaxed.  In my case, I'd been in labor for hours, was completely exhausted, and then they told me my labor wasn't progressing well, and the baby's heartbeat kept dropping with each contraction.   I would have preferred a scheduled c-section by that point, but it was too late.   I'd wanted to try to deliver him the regular way, first.

Answer 5

Its pretty much the same thing except things move alot quicker with an emergency c section....the process is still the same but the doctors and nurses are moving speedy gonzalez style :)~