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Cephalopelvic Disproportion (CPD) is a diagnosis that is often given as the reason for a cesarean section. It means that the baby’s head is too big for the mother’s pelvis, or the mother’s pelvis is too small for the baby’s head. The problem is that this diagnosis has been proven incorrect many times. Sometimes the baby comes out much smaller than the doctor estimated using ultrasound. There is at least a 20% margin of error in estimating the weights of full term babies who are suspected to be large for gestational age. (Source) Also, many mothers have gone on to give birth vaginally to larger babies than their previous babies in which they were given the CPD diagnosis. This video shows photos of women who were diagnosed with CPD and then went on to have larger babies afterwards.

If your doctor has mentioned this possibility to you and suggested a planned c-section, please consider carefully! Your body was created to give birth. Your pelvis is working for several weeks prior to labor to be ready to widen and open enough for your baby to come through. In addition, your baby’s head molds and the skull plates overlap to make it smaller to go through the birth canal. This is why many babies have misshapen heads for a few hours right after their births. Believe in your body’s ability to give birth normally, naturally, and without intervention! Your trust and confidence in your body’s process of birthing will have a huge impact on your emotions and will directly affect the length and difficulty of your labor. Focus on the positive!  

For more information, please visit the International Cesarean Awareness Network website.