Leiden doctor: C-section increases the risk of abdominal surgery

Women who gave birth with a ceasarean section are at higher risk of needing abdominal surgery shortly after giving birth, according to a study by Leiden's UMC. In 30 percent of these cases the woman loses her uterus, NU.nl reports.

According to doctor Tom Witteveen, who will be awarded a PhD for this research on Wednesday, these caesarean sections can lead to the uterus rupturing, severe internal bleeding or strong vaginal bleeding. Abdominal surgery often hapens directly after childbirth. 40 percent of these cases involve women who just had their first child.

The risk of needing such an operation is small, but it is 17 times higher after a ceasarean section than after natural childbirth.