An emergency caesarean birth is one that has not been planned for more than a day or two. How urgent it is can vary a lot. One that is less urgent can be done in much the same way as an elective (planned) caesarean birth. However, some caesarean deliveries may need to be done very quickly. This might be within an hour of the decision or, in rare circumstances, as soon as possible. The most common reason for a very urgent caesarean is if there is a sudden drop in your baby’s heart rate (sometimes called ‘fetal distress’).
In urgent cases, you will need a cannula (a thin plastic tube) placed in a vein in your hand or arm, if you do not have one already. You may be given antacid medication to reduce the acid in your stomach through the cannula rather than as tablets.
Please note: you don’t always need to have a general anaesthetic for an emergency caesarean birth – other pain relief options may be available. See our general anaesthetic page for more information on this topic.
