Pregnancy health centre

Having an emergency caesarean section

What is an emergency section?

An emergency section is an unplanned Caesarean section that's carried out at short notice when labour doesn't go according to plan and the midwives/doctors are concerned for your baby's well-being.

The most common reasons for an emergency section include a long, drawn-out labour that's just not progressing, foetal distress (indications that your baby's heartbeat is dipping between contractions more than it should, for example) and umbilical-cord prolapse (the cord appearing in your vagina before the baby's head does).

If an emergency section is thought necessary, you will be asked for your consent urgently - and you'll be in an operating theatre almost before you've had time to say yes. Your birth partner may be allowed in to watch but it's not always possible.

How is it different to a normal section?

It's performed with more urgency than a planned section but the operation is essentially the same. If you've already been given an epidural (a local anaesthetic often used in labour), it'll be topped up; if you haven't, you'll be given a general anaesthetic because it works quicker.

A surgeon will make an incision in your abdomen and womb, usually below your bikini line, so your baby can be lifted out.

Your baby will usually be delivered in 10 to 15 minutes, but it will take the surgeon about another 45 minutes to stitch your womb and the layers of muscle and skin in your abdomen.