Cesarean Section

Cesarean Section is a procedure where the baby is delivered through an abdominal incision. Also called cesarean delivery or cesarean birth.

What is a Cesarean Section?

A Cesarean section is a form of abdominal surgery that is performed to deliver a baby via an incision made in the abdomen.

Breeched Birth: Caesarean Section or Vaginal Delivery?

Rise In Cesarean Section Rates

Latest Cesarean Section News and Research

New CPRIT awards expand cancer prevention and treatment research in South Texas

UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), received nearly $3 million in new academic and prevention awards as part of the latest funding round announced by the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).

19 Dec 2025

Stopping GLP-1 drugs before pregnancy leads to more weight gain

Researchers determine the risk of pregnancy weight gain in patients who were prescribed GLP-1 RAs prior to conception.

1 Dec 2025

UTHealth Houston researchers receive NIH grant for fetoscopic spina bifida repair study

A five-year, $2.8 million grant was awarded to researchers at UTHealth Houston by the National Institutes of Health to evaluate the long-term effects on patients enrolled in the "Cryopreserved Human Umbilical Cord as a Meningeal Patch in Fetoscopic Spina Bifida Repair" trial.

1 Dec 2025

Simple hospital program reduces severe maternal infections by 32%

The APT-Sepsis program significantly reduced infection-related outcomes in maternal care, demonstrating the impact of coordinated interventions in hospitals.

24 Nov 2025

Maternal obesity raises childhood epilepsy and disability risks, new study shows

Higher maternal BMI before pregnancy is linked to increased risks of epilepsy and intellectual disability in young children, even after extensive adjustment for maternal and neonatal factors. Associations with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD disappear after full adjustment, highlighting the potential mediating role of perinatal complications.

17 Nov 2025

Cesarean births do not raise infant allergy risk in major Japanese cohort study

In a large Japanese birth cohort, cesarean delivery was not linked to higher risks of eczema, wheezing, atopic dermatitis, or asthma in infants at one year of age. Emergency cesarean delivery was even associated with a modest reduction in eczema, suggesting that mode of birth alone may not drive early-life allergic disease.

13 Nov 2025

New research supports general anesthesia as an option for cesarean births

Regional anesthesia-typically with a spinal or epidural block-has long been favored for cesarean births due in part to concerns about the effects that general anesthesia may have on newborns during labor and delivery.

12 Nov 2025

Study finds clear link between osteomalacia and increased risk of complicated deliveries

A research team at Uppsala University has identified a clear link between osteomalacia – a form of bone softening commonly caused by vitamin D deficiency – and a fivefold increased risk of emergency cesarean sections or the need for vacuum-assisted delivery.

28 Oct 2025

How well does a cesarean risk calculator work?

Validated cesarean prediction tool effectively assesses delivery risks, supporting clinicians and patients in making informed decisions about labor induction.

29 Aug 2025

Microbes found to play a key role in shaping early brain development

New research from Michigan State University finds that microbes play an important role in shaping early brain development, specifically in a key brain region that controls stress, social behavior, and vital body functions.

13 Aug 2025

High-dose vitamin D strengthens bones in very low birth weight infants

Research indicates that high-dose vitamin D improves bone health in very low birth weight preterm infants, highlighting its role in early development.

8 Aug 2025

Can your diet and health change your breast milk? Review uncovers the key maternal and birth factors

This review highlights how maternal, obstetrical, and neonatal factors influence the energy and macronutrient content of breast milk. The findings underscore significant variability in milk composition, with implications for tailored nutritional support in early life.

3 Aug 2025

A brain-dead pregnant woman was kept alive in Georgia. It’s unclear if state law required it.

A Georgia woman declared brain-dead and kept on life support for more than three months because she was pregnant was removed from a ventilator in June and died, days after doctors delivered her 1-pound, 13-ounce baby by emergency cesarean section.

29 Jul 2025

Missing gut bacteria in US babies triples allergy and eczema risk

US infants lacking Bifidobacterium in their gut microbiome face significant changes in microbial composition, metabolic function, and immune-related health risks. This large, nationally representative study links early-life Bifidobacterium deficits to a three-fold increase in eczema, allergy, or asthma by age two.

25 Jun 2025

Early signs of breastfeeding failures after premature birth

A study on breastfeeding after premature birth identifies key factors affecting milk composition and volume, emphasizing the need for early support for mothers.

10 Jun 2025

Japanese study shows c-sections do not raise allergy risk in children

A Japanese study reveals cesarean births do not increase childhood allergy risk, contradicting earlier findings and highlighting the need for further research.

3 Jun 2025

Researchers develop new method for predicting the risk of birth injuries

High birth weight is the main risk factor for birth injuries to the anal sphincter muscles of the person giving birth, according to a study at the University of Gothenburg.

21 May 2025

Woman with rare genetic disorder delivers healthy baby after complex pregnancy

When Jessica Johnson, 36, began to experience labored breathing and heart palpitations, she quickly made an appointment to see a cardiologist.

11 May 2025

Liver disease in pregnancy linked to higher risk of preterm birth

Pregnant women with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) have an increased risk of giving birth prematurely and the risk increase cannot be explained by obesity, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal eClinicalMedicine.

9 May 2025

Eating avocado in pregnancy cuts infant food allergy risk by nearly half

Pregnant women who ate avocado were significantly less likely to have children with food allergies at 12 months of age. The association held even after adjusting for maternal diet quality, lifestyle, and perinatal factors in a large Finnish cohort.

8 May 2025