A caesarean section (cesarean section AE), or c-section, is a form of childbirth in which a surgical incision is made through a mother's abdomen (laparotomy) and uterus (hysterotomy) to deliver one or more babies. It is usually performed when a vaginal delivery would lead to medical complications, although it is increasingly common for otherwise normal births as well.

Etymology

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There are several elements which contribute to a linguistic explanation of the word caesarean.

• The term may be simply derived from the Latin verb caedere (supine stem caesum), "to cut." The term caesarean section then would be a tautology.
• The caesarean is possibly named after Roman military and political leader Julius Caesar who allegedly was so delivered. Historically, this is unlikely as his mother was alive after he reached adulthood (extremely implausible if such a procedure was performed with the technology of the day), but the legend is at least as old as the 2nd century AD.
• Roman law prescribed that the procedure was to be performed at the end of a pregnancy on a dying woman in order to save the life of the baby. This was called the lex caesarea. Thus the Roman law may be the origin of the term.

Most likely the term is the product of a combination of these. The beginning of the story is certainly the verb caedo: the phrase a matre caesus ("cut out of his mother") was used in Roman times to describe the operation. The real etymology of the name Caesar (a much older family name) is completely unrelated, but a very early folk etymology invented the story of Julius Caesar's birth by section in order to suggest that his name is derived from this verb. The title of the Roman law must be influenced by this legend, since the form caesareus cannot be derived directly from caesus without some interference of Caesar. The form of the modern English word caesarean may come either from the law or from the name Caesar, but the modern German Kaiserschnitt (literally: "Emperor's section") obviously comes directly from the legend of Julius Caesar's birth.

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RT @Frankhe1: I was born by Caesarean section. I guess that explains why when I leave a house, I go out through a window.
VegasVickie (vickie mccrudden) Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:13:17 -0000
RT @Frankhe1: I was born by Caesarean section. I guess that explains why when I leave a house, I go out through a window.
RT @Frankhe1: I was born by Caesarean section. I guess that explains why when I leave a house, I go out through a window.
ronbridges (Ron Bridges) Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:12:59 -0000
RT @Frankhe1: I was born by Caesarean section. I guess that explains why when I leave a house, I go out through a window.
I was born by Caesarean section. I guess that explains why when I leave a house, I go out through a window.
Frankhe1 (Frank Espinoza) Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:10:17 -0000
I was born by Caesarean section. I guess that explains why when I leave a house, I go out through a window.
RT @multiplereason: Another fact of the day: Increase risk of #foodallergy with #caesarean sections. Dr. Lars Hanson #naturalbirth
DroolBaby (Drool Boutique) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:33:58 -0000
RT @multiplereason: Another fact of the day: Increase risk of #foodallergy with #caesarean sections. Dr. Lars Hanson #naturalbirth
Another fact of the day: Increase risk of #foodallergy with #caesarean sections. Dr. Lars Hanson #naturalbirth
multiplereason (Camilla Aviss) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:18:07 -0000
Another fact of the day: Increase risk of #foodallergy with #caesarean sections. Dr. Lars Hanson #naturalbirth
A link between caesarean births and secondary infertility http://bit.ly/64t9JB
inezhanson (Inez Hanson) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 06:40:55 -0000
A link between caesarean births and secondary infertility http://bit.ly/64t9JB

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