Science has often been seen as a miracle and many still say, “Nature is perfect.” Likewise, is the natural birth always the best method? Why might someone need surgery to give birth, even if they are able to give birth naturally?

According to Dr. Chuong Sothy from Calmette Hospital, giving birth by Caesarean section may reduce pain for the mother and save the infant’s life if the natural birth does not work. Some even believe children born by C-section are smarter than those born naturally.

He explains, “When the babies are born naturally, their head is compressed which affects their brain, while the baby who was born by C-section is born without any pressure on their head.”

Mrs. Choeng Sok Phanha, 28, who has been married for three years and gave birth to a son six months ago, said she chose surgery for her first child because of her health. She said she felt weak and could not bear giving birth naturally.

On the other hand, Soth Vuthikun, a local transport company staff and a father of two children, said, “For my first child, my wife give birth naturally, but the birth of our second child required surgery.” Vuthikun added that the doctor asked him if they were OK with surgery after his wife suffered severe pain for three hours with her cervix still not dilating normally.

Srey Touch, from a private clinic, explained: “When the mother is giving natural birth, her uterus will start growing bigger and bigger and the scar can become wounded again.”

She added, “The mother cannot give birth for three years, and she can only have two children or three at most.”

Vuthikun’s wife and Sok Phanha can now do everything normally but share a similar problem. If they sit for long periods of time, they feel abdominal pain.

Srey Touch confirmed that their condition is not from the sedation itself but from the needle injected into their spine during injecting numbing medicine.

According to Dr. Chuong Sothy’s observation, at Calmette Hospital, 70 to 80 per cent of the patients prefer a natural birth, which he openly encourages.

Mrs. Sum Sothearith, who works at a private company and has an 18-month-old daughter, said she decided to give birth naturally despite being over 30 years of age.

“I consulted with my doctor before giving birth and decided natural birth was the better option,” she said.

Answering questions related to sexual health and family lives after giving birth naturally, Sothearith also said she and her husband have not yet noticed any issues with the healing of her womb.

In fact, C-section births rarely cause sexual health problems often caused by natural births, another advantages of surgery birth.

If a baby has a very large head, C-sections are a must. Otherwise, the baby’s head is compressed and the child could face life-long symptoms from pressure on its brain.

“It can be extremely dangerous,” Srey Touch said. “The babies may be weak and have difficulty breathing or memory loss later in life in addition to becoming short-sighted not to mention severe brain damage.”

Caesarean section birth and natural birth both have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, depending on the situation. Consulting with the doctor about which is the best option is vital for both the mother and the baby.

Additionally, Sothearith and Touch both suggest that families should offer support to the mother during pregnancy to give the mother confidence that her baby will be born healthy and happy.