Women who have difficulty getting pregnant are more likely to need a cesarean section. Additionally, their ability to become pregnant decreases even further after this surgery. The authors of the article report this as follows: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG).
Previous studies by scientists had shown that women who had a caesarean section had more problems conceiving than women who had a “natural” birth. However, most of these studies have used interpregnancy intervals to measure female fertility, which do not distinguish between voluntary and involuntary delays. In a new study, researchers assessed women’s fertility using questionnaires that asked whether a woman was trying to get pregnant. If it took women a year or longer to become pregnant, this was considered difficulty conceiving.
Tens of thousands of women participated in the research. Patients who took a year or more to conceive had a 21% greater risk of having a C-section, and having the procedure reduced their chances of becoming pregnant by 10%.
Previous studies have concluded that decreased fertility after cesarean section may be a side effect of the surgery. But the authors of the new paper believe the link may not be cause-and-effect. Perhaps the stress of a woman who cannot get pregnant for a long time leads to complications and the need for a cesarean section.
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