Things you need to know about Delivery or childbirth
Delivery refers to the process of giving birth to a child. In the lack of adequate medical facilities, the deliveries in the older times were done at home, often in the presence of midwife or dai. With the medical advancement, even the most complicated deliveries are now conducted with great safety and convenience at multispecialty hospitals, where all the facilities for the mother as well as the child care are available. The current practice aims to make the transition from ‘being pregnant’ to ‘being a mother’ as smooth and convenient as possible.
In majority of cases, delivery or childbirth happens naturally i.e., through the vaginal route. However, in certain conditions or emergency situations, it may be done surgically via a Cesarean section.
The natural, most common and safest method of childbirth is the vaginal delivery. In many cases, the delivery does not require any major intervention by the doctor. However, sometimes the gynaecologist/obstetrician may use special instruments like forceps (similar to large spoons) to guide the movement of the baby through the birth canal by cupping the head. Alternately, suction cup may be used, if required, to gently pull the baby out from the birth canal.
Sometimes, a vaginal delivery may not be possible because of some complications. In such cases, the obstetrician conducts the delivery surgically, by making a cut in the belly of the mother and the uterus. Cesarean section nowadays is a commonly conducted and safe procedure. In most cases, a C-section doesn’t require general anaesthesia and epidural or spinal anaesthesia (an injection in the lower back where only the lower portion of the body is numbed) is adequate. A C-section is carried out by a trained obstetrician, with the help of an anaesthetist and trained nursing and operation theatre staff. Generally, a neonatologist also attends the procedure.
A Cesarean section is advised as a planned mode of delivery in case some issues are identified beforehand. Some of the reasons include:
However, in many cases, a decision to undertake Cesarean section may be taken while the patient is in labour pain. Such unplanned Cesarean section is advised due to reasons such as:
Depending upon the reason for previous Cesarean section as well as the type and position of the cut made during the previous Cesarean section, the gynaecologist/obstetrician may determine if it is safe to go ahead for a vaginal delivery for the current pregnancy. It is always best to consult the attending obstetrician and follow their advice in these matters.
Cesarean section is routinely a safe procedure and majority of mothers and babies perform well after Cesarean section. However, being a surgery, there might be certain risks which include:
While the time before delivery is among the most anxious situations in life, it is best to relax and mentally prepare yourself for motherhood.
Before delivery:
After delivery:
Let the transition from pregnancy to motherhood be as smooth as possible. Such an experience requires a therapeutic yet holistic approach with not only the best gynaecologist/obstetrician and paediatrician, but also a compassionate team of nurses, lactation consultants, and counsellors.
The cost of delivery depends on the type of delivery, i.e., vaginal or Cesarean section. The actual cost might vary depending upon:
To know more about delivery options, you can request for a call back and our specialists will call you and answer all your queries.
“The content of this publication has been developed by a third party content providerwho are clinicians and/or medical writers and/or experts. The information contained herein is for educational purpose only and we request you to please consult a Registered Medical Practitioner or Doctor before deciding the appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan.”