A cesarean section is a surgical procedure for delivering a baby through incisions in the abdomen and uterus. Here's a brief overview:

• Definition: Fetal delivery via laparotomy (abdominal incision) and hysterotomy (uterine incision)
• History: First documented in 1020 AD, evolved significantly since then
• Current status: Most common surgery in the United States
• Statistics:
  • Over 1 million cesarean deliveries annually in the US
  • Rate increased from 5% in 1970 to 31.9% in 2016
• Future outlook: Efforts to reduce rates, but significant drop not expected for 1-2 decades
• Importance: Can be the safest or only option for delivering a healthy newborn in some cases

Anatomy and Surgical Procedure

The cesarean section involves navigating through several anatomical layers:

graph TD
  A[Skin] --> B[Subcutaneous tissues]
  B --> C[Anterior abdominal fascia]
  C --> D[Rectus abdominis muscles]
  D --> E[Parietal peritoneum]
  E --> F[Uterus]
  F --> G[Amniotic sac]
  G --> H[Fetus]

Key anatomical considerations:

Post-delivery considerations:

• Fallopian tubes and ovaries may become visible
• Tubal ligation possible if patient consented
• Broad ligament attaches uterus to pelvic sidewalls
• Ureter may be found in medial leaf of broad ligament
• Cervix and vagina not routinely visible

Indications for Cesarean Delivery