What it means
Most often used in "cesarean birth" (also called cesarean section or C-section), the delivery of a baby through incisions in the abdominal wall and the uterus. It can be planned, for example for a breech baby or a previous cesarean, or done urgently when labor is not safe to continue. It is major abdominal surgery, with risks of bleeding, infection and blood clots.
For the nurse
After a cesarean, check the fundus, lochia and incision, manage pain, help the client walk early, and support skin-to-skin contact and feeding with positions that protect the incision.
At a glance
| Spanish | cesárea |
|---|---|
| Also written | caesarean |
Related terms
postpartum
The time after giving birth, usually the first six weeks, while the body returns to its non-pregnant state.
cesarean birth
Birth of a baby through surgical cuts in the belly and the uterus.
breech presentation
A position of the fetus in which the buttocks or feet, instead of the head, are lowest in the uterus.
obstetrician
A physician who specializes in the care of people during pregnancy, labor and birth, and just after.