C section how long before due date

You may need to avoid some activities, such as driving, until you have had your postnatal check-up with the doctor at 6 weeks. The wound in your tummy will eventually form a scar.

This may be obvious at first, but it should fade with time and will often be hidden in your pubic hair. Find out more about recovering from a caesarean. A caesarean is generally a very safe procedure, but like any type of surgery it carries a certain amount of risk.

It's important to be aware of the possible complications, particularly if you're considering having a caesarean for non-medical reasons. If you have a baby by caesarean, it does not necessarily mean that any babies you have in the future will also have to be delivered this way. Most women who have had a caesarean section can safely have a vaginal delivery for their next baby, known as vaginal birth after caesarean VBAC. But you may need some extra monitoring during labour just to make sure everything is progressing well.

For more information, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has a leaflet on birth options after previous caesarean section PDF, kb. Page last reviewed: 27 June Next review due: 27 June The cut is usually made across your tummy, just below your bikini line.

Around 1 in 4 pregnant women in the UK has a caesarean birth. These include:. 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. 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. Your e-mail was sent. Save to my dashboard Sign in or Sign up to save this page. Saving Just a moment, please. You've saved this page It's been added to your dashboard. In This Topic View More. Why can scheduling a c-section for non-medical reasons be a problem?

If you schedule a c-section and your due date is off by a week or 2, your baby may be born too early. This may be one reason why many babies are born between 34 and 36 weeks in this country. While babies born at 34 to 36 weeks may seem healthy, they are more likely to have medical problems than babies born a few weeks later.

A c-section can cause problems for your baby. Babies born by c-section may have more breathing and other medical problems than babies born by vaginal birth. A c-section can cause problems in future pregnancies. Once you have a c-section, you may be more likely in future pregnancies to have a c-section. The more c-sections you have, the more likely you are to have problems in future pregnancies, including problems with the placenta. The placenta grows in your uterus and supplies the baby with food and oxygen through the umbilical cord.

A c-section is major surgery for mom. You have to stay in the hospital longer, and it takes longer for you to recover from a c-section than from a vaginal birth. You may have complications from the surgery, like infections and bleeding.

What questions can you ask your provider about scheduling a c-section? If your provider wants to schedule your c-section, ask these questions: Why do I need to have a c-section? Is there a problem with my health or the health of my baby that may make me need to have my baby earlier than 39 weeks? What problems can a c-section cause for me and my baby?

Can I have a vaginal birth in future pregnancies? Last reviewed: September, Ask our experts! Have a question?