From the BBC World Service, welcome to the latest edition of the documentary

podcast. Every week we bring you a range of stories from our presenters and

reporters across the world. Please do rate the documentary on your podcast app and

leave a comment. Let us know what you think.

The rates indicated the health of the baby.

You're listening to the preparations for a C section in my country, Brazil.

I'm Julia Carnayor, a correspondent for BBC World Service.

I'm with Anna Christina, who's about to give birth.

Anna had wanted a normal birth,

but is having a C-section because of complications.

She has a pretty advanced violation already.

C-sesareans or C-sections involve cutting into the woman's uterus to deliver a baby

surgically and are necessary when medical conditions make normal vaginal birth dangerous

for the mother or the baby.

But many believe their use in Brazil is excessive and warn of a

seasection epidemic.

Anna, what did people say when you said you want to insist and try to have a normal birth?

Crazy?

Oh my God, you want to suffer.

I've been allowed into the operating theater. I'm wearing green scrubs, a hair net, and a face mask.

They're cutting out her scar first before they can get through to the tissues and perform the operation

Now they just opened a very deep gash into her skin and they're cutting a bit deeper going through all the layers necessary to reach the baby.

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