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This week on Health Watch, we’ve been talking about pregnancy and how it may impact a mother’s health. When it comes to the birth itself, women usually plan how they want their children to be born, but nature doesn’t always cooperate. In some cases, a Caesarean delivery may be required. Last year, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that while most Caesarian deliveries were performed within 30 minutes, those in which doctors waited later to make that call didn’t have additional complications.
Dr. Steven Bloom, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at UT Southwestern, says this shows that the doctor’s judgment plays an important role in how quickly a Caesarean delivery is performed. In severe emergencies, the surgery happens more quickly, but in less dire situations, it doesn’t do harm to wait a little longer before deciding that a surgical delivery is necessary.
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May 2007
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