cesarean section

Scientific  

/ sĭ-zâr′ē-ən /

1. A surgical incision through the abdominal wall and uterus, performed to deliver a fetus.

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Cesarean section Cultural  

1. Childbirth by surgical removal of the fetus through an incision made in the wall of the abdomen and in the uterus, usually used as an alternative when natural delivery through the vagina is considered risky. The number of Cesarean sections in the United States has increased sharply in recent years, causing concern among patients, surgeons, and insurers.

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The term derives from the traditional belief that Julius Caesar was born by this method.

The procedure is often referred to colloquially as a “C-section.”

Example Sentences

There has been a significant increase in cesarean section deliveries in recent decades, which made up 32.3% of deliveries in 2023, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

After recovering from a cesarean section and sitting out for two months to allow her stitches to heal, she returned to play two weeks into the season in August.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2025

Gabriel was born by cesarean section on 2 June 2023 and has been in the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh ever since.

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2024

When Siming Zhu gave birth to her daughter via cesarean section, she didn’t go home after leaving the hospital.

From Slate • Jul. 13, 2024

Olympian Allyson Felix, who developed pre-eclampsia during her first pregnancy and had to have an emergency cesarean section at 32 weeks.

From New York Times • May 1, 2024