Planned elective caesarean section

UCLH and The Whittington Hospital work collaboratively to provide some clinical maternity services in partnership. This partnership means that elements of care may be provided at The Whittington Hospital, rather than UCLH.

One service operating in this partnership is planned, or elective, caesarean sections for specific groups of women.

This leaflet explains more about when planned caesareans would be provided at The Whittington Hospital for women having antenatal care at UCLH.

What is a planned/elective caesarean section?

A caesarean section, or C-section, is an operation to deliver your baby through a cut made in your tummy, just below your bikini line.

A caesarean section is a major operation that carries a number of risks, so it's usually only done if it's the safest option for you and your baby.

A planned (elective) caesarean section can take place for two reasons:

• Medical indication; this is when a medical need for the operation becomes apparent during pregnancy.
• Maternal request.

If I am having a planned caesarean section, where and when would I have my baby?

Whittington Health support UCLH with our elective caesarean sections. UCLH is a tertiary unit, which means we provide care for women and babies with complex needs, which often require the need for delivery in theatre. The demand for theatre slots is higher than the available capacity, therefore the service needs to plan and prioritise cases accordingly. We manage our demand in a number of ways, one of which is our collaboration with Whittington Health.

Women who request a maternal request caesarean or opt to have a caesarean but are otherwise low risk will have their caesarean scheduled to take place at The Whittington Hospital.

The caesarean section would take place during the week of your due date, which is 39–40 weeks, unless there is a medical reason that means you need to have your baby at an earlier date.