- Home
- Parents Home
- Allergy Center
- Asthma Center
- Cancer Center
- Diabetes Center
- A to Z Dictionary
- Emotions & Behavior
- First Aid & Safety
- Food Allergy Center
- General Health
- Growth & Development
- Flu Center
- Heart Health
- Homework Help Center
- Infections
- Diseases & Conditions
- Nutrition & Fitness Center
- Play & Learn Center
- School & Family Life
- Pregnancy Center
- Newborn Center
- Q&A
- Recipes
- Sports Medicine Center
- Doctors & Hospitals
- Videos
- Para Padres
- Home
- Kids Home
- Asthma Center
- Cancer Center
- Movies & More
- Diabetes Center
- Getting Help
- Feelings
- Puberty & Growing Up
- Health Problems of Grown-Ups
- Health Problems
- Homework Center
- How the Body Works
- Illnesses & Injuries
- Nutrition & Fitness Center
- Recipes & Cooking
- Staying Healthy
- Stay Safe Center
- Relax & Unwind Center
- Q&A
- Heart Center
- Videos
- Staying Safe
- Kids' Medical Dictionary
- Para Niños
- Home
- Teens Home
- Asthma Center
- Be Your Best Self Center
- Cancer Center
- Diabetes Center
- Diseases & Conditions
- Drugs & Alcohol
- Expert Answers (Q&A)
- Flu Center
- Homework Help Center
- Infections
- Managing Your Medical Care
- Managing Your Weight
- Nutrition & Fitness Center
- Recipes
- Safety & First Aid
- School & Work
- Sexual Health
- Sports Center
- Stress & Coping Center
- Videos
- Your Body
- Your Mind
- Para Adolescentes
Can I Request to Have a C-Section?
I'm 37 weeks pregnant and I'm just not sure I can wait for nature to take its course. Can I ask my doctor if I can schedule a C-section?
– Becky
It can be frustrating to wait until your due date to meet your baby. But Cesarean sections (or C-sections) usually are scheduled for women such as those:
- who have a high-risk pregnancy (for example, they're expecting multiples or have a medical condition that would make a vaginal delivery too risky)
- who've had previous C-sections (although many women can safely deliver vaginally after a C-section) or other uterine surgeries
- who have problems with the placenta, such as placenta previa (when the placenta sits too low in the uterus and covers the cervix)
- whose babies have some types of birth defects
- whose babies are in the wrong position (sideways or breech)
It may be tempting to try to schedule your baby's "birth day" and avoid the uncertainty and pain of labor. But a C-section is a major surgery and, like any surgery, does come with risks. These include:
- bleeding
- infection
- bladder or bowel injury
- reactions to medicines
- blood clots
- problems with the placenta in future pregnancies
Another potential risk of having a scheduled C-section that is not medically necessary is giving birth to a late pre-term baby (born between 34 and 36 weeks). Why? Because the due date (also called the expected delivery date, or EDD) may be wrong. Your due date is 40 weeks from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). If you deliver on your due date, your baby is actually only about 38 weeks old — that's because your egg didn't become fertilized until about 2 weeks after the start of your last menstrual period.
Women who have irregular periods or first-trimester bleeding might be mistaken about when their last menstrual period was. An ultrasound can help to narrow it down, but the estimated date of conception could still be off by a couple of weeks.
Babies born late pre-term are generally healthy but may have temporary problems such as jaundice, trouble feeding, problems with breathing, or trouble keeping an even body temperature.
You might be impatient to meet your little one, but vaginal delivery usually carries fewer risks than a C-section. Plus, you can come home sooner and recover quicker with a vaginal delivery.
If you're interested in having a C-section instead of a vaginal birth, talk about the risks and benefits of both options with your doctor.
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995- The Nemours Foundation. KidsHealth® is a registered trademark of The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.
Images sourced by The Nemours Foundation and Getty Images.
Humana Healthy Horizons in Ohio
- Humana Healthy Horizons
- Humana Healthy Horizons Extras
- Member Support
- Care management
- Caregiver resources
- Child well-being
- Disease management
- Documents and forms
- Enrollment
- Grievances and appeals
- Health and wellness
- KidsHealth
- Member Handbook
- New Member Resources
- News and alerts
- OhioRISE Plan
- Pregnancy outcomes
- Tobacco cessation
- Why Humana
- Your primary care provider
- For Providers
- Contact us
- Accessibility
- Humana Healthy Horizons
- Humana Healthy Horizons Extras
- Member Support
- Care management
- Caregiver resources
- Child well-being
- Disease management
- Documents and forms
- Enrollment
- Grievances and appeals
- Health and wellness
- KidsHealth
- Member Handbook
- New Member Resources
- News and alerts
- OhioRISE Plan
- Pregnancy outcomes
- Tobacco cessation
- Why Humana
- Your primary care provider
- For Providers
- Contact us
- Accessibility