Consequences of choosing a "good date and time" for a child to be born by cesarean section

(Baohatinh.vn) - Many families in Ha Tinh want their children to be born at a "good time, good day" by cesarean section. This intervention can increase the level of risk for both mother and baby.

A cesarean section at Ha Tinh Provincial General Hospital.

The first son of Ms. Nguyen Thi Linh (Trung Hoa residential group, Ha Huy Tap ward) was born by cesarean section. This year, the baby is 4 years old. When she was 39 weeks pregnant, due to low amniotic fluid and the uterus not opening, the doctor ordered an emergency cesarean section to ensure the safety of mother and baby.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Linh said: “My family and I had prepared everything for a normal birth. However, when I had contractions but the uterus did not open and the amniotic fluid was low, my family agreed to follow the doctor's instructions to perform an emergency cesarean section to deliver the baby.”

Ms. Nguyen Thi Linh is one of the cases that medically indicated a cesarean section. However, there are still many cases that want a cesarean section to proactively choose a good day and time for the baby, and conveniently arrange work and take care of postpartum care. According to statistics, if in 2005 the cesarean section rate was only 12%, by 2022 it had skyrocketed to 37% - a three-fold increase in less than two decades. This number is many times higher than the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO), which states that a reasonable cesarean section rate should only fluctuate between 10 - 15% of all births. Among these are many cases of voluntary cesarean section without medical indication.

Many families choose the date and time of birth with the hope that their child's life will be smooth sailing.

Ms. TTTL (residing in Thach Xuan commune) expressed that during the second pregnancy, my husband and I proactively scheduled a cesarean section in August when the pregnancy was 37 weeks and at Ty hour (9am - 11am). This is a good day and time, compatible with the parents' ages, the child will be smart, bright, and easily successful in studying and working.

When a cesarean section is performed without medical indication but only to meet the desired date and time, the risk to the health of both mother and child is very high. The newborn may suffer from respiratory failure, jaundice, hypothermia, or even fall into a critical condition due to premature birth or not having time to adapt to the outside environment. For the mother, a cesarean section without indication also increases the risk of hemorrhage, infection, postpartum complications, and greatly affects the next pregnancy.

In mid-August 2025, a heartbreaking case was recorded at the Neonatal Center (National Children's Hospital), a two-day-old newborn was delivered by cesarean section at week 37 at the request of the family to "choose a good day and time". Immediately after birth, the baby showed signs of respiratory failure, had to be given oxygen and was urgently transferred to the hospital. When arriving at the Neonatal Center, the baby was cyanotic, had severe circulatory failure and was diagnosed with severe pulmonary hypertension. Despite intensive resuscitation and advanced techniques, the baby still did not respond to treatment and did not survive. The incident once again sounded the alarm about the consequences of this trend.

Doctors recommend cesarean section only when medically indicated.

Doctor CKII Nguyen Co Thach, Deputy Head of the Department of Obstetrics, Ha Tinh General Hospital said: “In reality, there are many pregnant women who come to see doctors to schedule a cesarean section according to the date and time chosen by the family in advance. In these cases, we must perform all the tests and consultations according to regulations. If the medical indication requires surgery, we will proceed immediately to ensure the safety of the mother and baby. In other cases, there will be propaganda and guidance for families to choose the appropriate and safe time for surgery.”

According to Dr. Nguyen Co Thach, normal birth (vaginal birth) is still the most natural and safest method for both mother and baby. This form of birth brings many practical benefits, helping mothers recover faster, reducing the risk of blood loss, postpartum infection, early milk secretion and saving costs. For babies, normal birth supports the process of adapting to the external environment better. Thanks to the pressure of contractions during labor, mucus in the lungs and respiratory tract is pushed out, reducing the risk of respiratory failure. Babies are exposed to beneficial microflora from the mother's vagina, helping to develop the immune system and digestive system.

The health and safety of mother and baby is the top priority.

Instead of placing too much emphasis on "good days and times", doctors recommend that the health and safety of mother and baby should be the top priority. Cesarean section should only be performed when there is a clear medical indication, to limit risks and complications.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/he-luy-chon-ngay-gio-tot-cho-con-chao-doi-bang-sinh-mo-post294660.html