Any serious medical condition of the mother that complicates her health or jeopardizes the baby’s well-being by laboring, are considered maternal complications. These complications may possibly necessitate a cesarean birth.

Some of the reasons a cesarean would be performed for health risks are as follows:

• Very premature infant.
• Maternal heart condition.
• Poorly controlled diabetes.
• Toxemia of pregnancy or PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension.)
• High blood pressure.
• Active case of genital herpes.
• Multiple gestation (twins, triplets, etc.)
• Prolonged rupture of membranes (ruptured longer than 24 hours.)
• Ineffective contractions and/or progress of labor.
• Previous section with a classical or vertical incision into the uterus.