# Caesarean birth

Intervention · id `maternal:caesarean-birth` · Maternal & Newborn Atlas · release `c7fb95f1d15a7d13` (public)

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Also called: C-section; Cesarean birth; Cesarean delivery

Browse, life stage: Childbirth; Postpartum  
Browse, care area: Labour and birth  

## In plain language

A caesarean birth, also called a C-section, is surgery to deliver a baby. The baby is taken out through the mother's abdomen. Some caesareans are planned. Others are emergencies, done when unexpected problems happen. It is relatively safe, but it is major surgery with risks, and recovery takes longer than after a vaginal birth.

## Technical summary

Hub for planned and unplanned caesarean contexts. Source for this record: the MedlinePlus Cesarean Delivery topic (fetched 2026-10-14; the address cesareansection.html redirects to it). The topic lists infection, blood loss, blood clots, injury to nearby structures and reactions to medicines or anaesthesia among the risks. No effect claim sits on this page. Caesarean delivery appears as an outcome of induction in a large trial of induction at 39 weeks (a lower rate with induction) and of the Cochrane reviews of epidural pain relief and continuous labour support; those results sit on their own records. The 2022 recommendations on antenatal corticosteroids for planned caesarean at 34 to 36 weeks are on the antenatal corticosteroids record.

## Connected pages

- Surgical birth: Labour and birth (`maternal:labour-and-birth`)
- WHO 2022 recommendation 1.5 concerns planned caesarean at 34 to 36 weeks (existing record): Antenatal corticosteroids (`maternal:antenatal-corticosteroids`)
- Filed under this front: Procedures and birth care (`maternal:front-procedures-and-birth-care`)

## Provenance

Content hash: b88f721ba770a2b245c7ee66e0ef8239d61f79be7b879e841f7e30b5b599979e
Last substantive edit: 2026-10-14
Evidence last checked: 2026-10-14