In general, emergency c-sections are called for if anything happens to put you or your babies in danger. As discussed before, if you’re pregnant with triplets or more, your doctor will likely already have scheduled a c-section, but if you’re expecting twins and plan on delivering vaginally, an emergency c-section may still be an option if your doctor feels it’s best. In some cases, the first baby will be delivered vaginally and the second baby will be delivered via cesarean, or it’s possible that you could undergo a c-section for both babies, even if your birth plan doesn’t call for it. Any time fetal distress is present or your health is at risk, your doc may decide to perform surgery. Some potential risks that may lead to an emergency c-section are: prolapsed cord (in which the umbilical cord comes out ahead of the baby), placental abruption (when the placenta begins to come loose, causing you and the baby to lose blood), and/or breech or traverse positioning (in which the baby or babies are not positioned head down for delivery). You may also wind up with an emergency c-section if your labor stops progressing or takes way too long, particularly if your water has broken, which makes the babies more susceptible to infection.
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