Will a second baby be born earlier if the first was delivered by cesarean section?
Disease description:
I had a cesarean section with my first child. Now my second baby is about to be born—will having had a C-section for the first birth cause an earlier delivery this time?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Lv Aiming
A first cesarean delivery may increase the likelihood of an earlier birth for the second pregnancy. The due date is generally 280 days, or 40 weeks. A normal delivery window falls between 37 and 42 weeks, with pregnancies reaching 37 weeks considered full-term. For women who had a previous cesarean section, a scheduled cesarean is typically recommended after 39 weeks. Elective cesarean delivery can be chosen after 39 weeks, as by this time the fetus's organs are well-developed and better adapted to the external environment. However, some pregnant women may experience early signs such as vaginal spotting, water breaking, or abdominal pain, in which case an earlier cesarean delivery may be performed.
