The Effect of Natural Cesarean Section on the initiation of breastfeeding A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Cesarean section involves making an incision in the woman’s abdomen and cutting through the uterine muscles. The baby is then delivered through that incision. Cesarean section is a common operation performed on women, with reported rates varying across the world. In developed countries, cesarean birth accounts for 25.5% of births in the United kingdom (Hospital Episode Statistics, 2013), 28.8%in Ireland (Economic and Social Research Institute, 2013), 31.6% in Australia (Australian Institute of Health and Welfar, 2013), 32.8% in the United States (Hamilton et al., 2013), and over 50% in some private hospitals in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay (Villar et al., 2006). Caesarean section itself has risks, including maternal infections, haemorrhage, organ injury, anaesthetic complications (International Cesarean Awareness Network,2002). Cesarean sections have been shown to have nearly five times the risk of postpartum infection as vaginal births( and this is with a policy of antibiotics at cesarean section) and just over 75% occur after hospital discharge (Leth et al., 2009). A transient impairment of bowel motility is expected after any majorsurgery, including CS (Holte, 2000; Bauer, 2004).This condition, known aspostoperative paralytic ileus (or ileus)is defined as the functional inhibitionof propulsive bowel activity (Livingston, 1990). Bladder injury quoted as the most frequently injured organ during pelvic surgery (Mendez, 2001). The incidence of bladder injury during cesarean section ranges from 0.08 to 0.94% (Lee et al., 2012). Caesarean delivery has been associated with decreased breastfeeding initiation in multiple studies (Perez-Rios et al., 2008). Early skin-to-skin contact and initiation of breastfeeding within 30 minutes as recommended by the WHO/UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative is almost nonexistent (World Health Organisation, 1989),(Anderson et al., 2003), (Rowe-Murray et al., 2002). (Natural Caesarean Section) is described for straightforward elective caesareans in healthy women with non-compromised singleton fetuses at term. It can be adapted for nonurgent emergency procedures but is not suitable for preterm or breech presentations (Smith et al., 2008). In (Natural Caesarean section) the wife and her husband are allowed to see the operation room preoperatively and observe the delivery of the baby. Early skin-to-skin contact in Natural