What If I Have a C-Section?

by Rita Rubin

An award-winning health writer answers all the questions a pregnant mom may have about this increasingly performed procedure-now used in nearly one in every four births

Thirty years ago, 1 in 20 babies was born by a c-section. Today that number has swelled to almost 1 in 4. Yet despite the steep rise in C-sections, there are very few books available to help moms-to-be sort out their options, allay their fears, and navigate their way through this serious and emotionally complex procedure.

Rita Rubin, USA Today 's medical reporter, tells
- The main reason Cesareans are performed
- Exactly what the procedure entails
- How to communicate with their doctors-to insure the birth experience they want
- Strategies that will help them recover from the surgery quickly and relatively painlessly
- How to decide whether to have an elective C-section-and how to cope should surgery be medically necessary
- How to sort out the controversy about VBAC-Vaginal Birth After C-section

Whether the reader is considering choosing an elective C-section, worrying about what she will face should she need one, or recovering in the days after her delivery, she'll find the facts in this unbiased, authoritative, reassuring guide-along with steps she can take to make the birth of her child the healthiest, most joyous occasion possible.

Paperback

First published September 8, 2004

Reviews

[Megan Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times comforting (ah, I probably won't have the same problem this time that required a c-section last time) and at times scary (Ah! I'm going to bleed to death!). Goes over every possibility involved.

[Blair Eleazer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative read that’s unbiased and provides insights from mom’s on both sides of each argument. tons of scientific studies and written in a POV that is simple here to give you information and resources to help you decide what is best for your body.

It felt slightly redundant from my medical background perspective but I have been reading tons of pregnancy/birthing books so it’s most likely just a result of information overlap!

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Be advised that I read this book after having just had a c-section. That being said, this book was a total waste of time except for the section about VBACs.
For one, it's written by the medical reporter for USA Today. This person is not a doctor, and it's never specified if she's a mother or if she ever had a c-section herself.
Secondly, I'd say 90% of this book is statistics. Seriously. Almost every paragraph begins with "In a [year] study done at [hospital/school in state/country], researchers found that women with [factor: race, weight, previous c-sections, etc.] have a [number] % chance of [favorable/unfavorable outcome here]. Then the next paragraph will have another statistic from another research study at another hospital... No real information about how it can be applied, only stats.
Lastly, I felt that this book did not remain unbiased about c-sections. It seemed to be very one-sided on the should I/shouldn't I debate without regard to different opinions, points of view, and pros/cons of having or not having one.
The section on VBACs was unlike the rest of the book in that it had an optimistic feel. It gave some good bits of info on how to avoid a repeat c-section.

[Shantel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Between the 2 books I read on C-sections, I felt like this one was less biased and tried to do more balancing between telling you the risks and benefits of C-sections. However, I didn't read the WHOLE thing. I read parts and skimmed and skipped others.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I often have a hard time reading nonfiction, but this keeps your attention and has a lot of information. I'd have liked it better if she cited her sources within her writing, but overall, I'd certainly recommend this book to anyone considering a cesarean or just wanting to get informed about them!

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

TMI, but okay then.

[Charity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good objective book. It outlines risks, procedures, and studies about birth, c-section, and what options are available.