In 2022, 32.2% of deliveries in the United States were by cesarean section. In Colorado, the rate is much lower, at 27.3%. April is C-Section Awareness Month, an event organized by the International Cesarean Awareness Network. Their mission is to improve maternal-child health by reducing preventable c-sections through education, recovery, and advocacy.
Lauren Kauvar, MD is an OB/GYN with AdventHealth Medical Group OB/GYN at Littleton. She says there are some cases where a c-section is medically necessary and will be scheduled in advance. That includes if the baby is in the breech position, if the patient has damage to their uterus from a previous surgery, or if they have a placental abnormality. Sometimes, your OB/GYN will determine a c-section is necessary during labor. That may be due to a baby that is not tolerating labor well and is in distress.
“The whole goal is to have a safe, healthy baby and a safe, healthy mom. If the baby is not tolerating labor, there are multiple things we try to do first to help with that. But if nothing is helping and the baby begins showing severe distress, then the c-section is the safest thing for the baby,” said Dr. Kauvar.
Dr. Kauvar says when it comes to labor and delivery, communication is key. She recommends talking to your doctor about your birth wishes so you are both on the same page. Even with a birth plan, she always tells her patients to expect the unexpected.
“Labor is a very fluid situation. I ask patients to go into it being flexible. Know we want what you want, but none of us can predict how things are going to go in labor. No labor is the same, no patient is the same, no baby is the same,” said Dr. Kauvar.
For moms who do have a c-section, it’s important to know what to expect. Patients will be awake for the procedure, and will feel pressure, but not pain. After the c-section, all of the important post-birth milestones are still available to parents.
“You can still do immediate skin-to-skin contact with your baby and you can still breastfeed. Your partner won’t be able to cut the cord right there because it is a sterile field, but what I do is leave a little extra cord on so they still get the opportunity to do that bedside.”
Dr. Kauvar wants patients to know c-sections can be fun too! Don’t be afraid to speak up about what you want, whether it’s having the lights dimmed or playing music.
“I recently had a patient who really wanted to have a vaginal delivery, but her baby was breech, and a c-section was the safest option. She decided to schedule the c-section for Taylor Swift’s birthday. Since we had time to plan, we turned it into a Taylor Swift party for the baby and had so much fun! I love being able to make delivery as pleasant as possible for my patients.”
Regardless of how the baby is delivered, Dr. Kauvar wants patients to know they are the best mom for their baby.
“Know that if you do have a c-section, the baby is going to be equally as connected to you as if you had a vaginal birth. It doesn’t make you any less of a parent.”
Lauren Kauvar, MD, FACOG, is an obstetrics physician and gynecologist specializing in pregnancy, miscarriage, contraception, family planning, infertility and female sterilization. She wants her patients to feel comfortable asking questions and tailors care to meet their needs.
Dr. Kauvar earned her Doctor of Medicine from The Tel Aviv Sackler School of Medicine in Ramat Aviv, Israel. She completed her internship and residency at The Hofstra University School of Medicine, North Shore, in Long Island, New York.
In her free time, Dr. Kauvar enjoys skiing, golf, travel, cooking, and participating in triathlons.