New Study Reveals Overlooked Toll of C-Sections — More Pain, Less Sleep for Mothers

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Health & Fitness, Health, Alternative Health

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 12 November 2025

⏱️ 10 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

More than one in five babies are now born by C-section, and the numbers are expected to reach nearly one-third of all births by 2030, despite many cases lacking clear medical necessity
Researchers from Stanford University found that C-section mothers were far more likely to experience severe postpartum pain and disrupted sleep, with over two-thirds reporting discomfort that interfered with rest and recovery
Nationwide data showed that women who delivered by C-section were 16% more likely to develop new sleep disorders within a year after birth, including insomnia, sleep deprivation, and sleep apnea
C-sections carry higher risks of infection, hemorrhage, blood clots, and complications in future pregnancies, while babies born this way face increased chances of respiratory distress, allergies, and autism
Many cesarean deliveries can be avoided with the right preparation. Choosing a provider who supports natural birth, staying physically active, managing stress, and maintaining a healthy weight all lowers your risk

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Are you prepared for how your birth plan could affect your pain, your sleep, and your baby's health long after delivery?
0:07.5	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom.
0:10.4	Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go.
0:15.8	No reading required. Subscribe for free atmercola.com for the latest health insights.
0:24.6	Hello, and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. I'm Ethan Foster.
0:25.6	Today we're examining new research presented at the
0:28.6	Anesthesiology 2025 meeting that links Cesarian delivery to more severe postpartum pain
0:35.6	and significantly disrupted sleep, and will
0:38.7	outline specific practical steps you can use to reduce the chance of an unnecessary C-section
0:44.4	and support recovery if you need one.
0:47.4	I'm Alaris Guy.
0:49.0	We'll walk through what the Stanford team found.
0:51.9	Why C-sections carry added risks for you and your baby, how surgical
0:56.1	birth alters early microbial exposure, and the actions you can take now. Provider choice, weight
1:03.0	management, movement, labor support, stress control, and targeted postpartum care. More than one in five babies worldwide are born by C-section, and projections suggest
1:15.6	nearly one-third of all births by 2030. Some cesareans are medically necessary, but many
1:21.6	occur without a clear indication. The new study compared mothers with surgical and vaginal
1:26.6	births, and found that over two-thirds of C-section mothers reported pain strong enough to disrupt sleep and daily activity.
1:34.3	Among planned surgeries, 73% reported sleep-disrupting pain.
1:39.3	67% did after emergency procedures.
1:43.3	Only about 8% of vaginal birth mothers reported similar discomfort.
1:48.4	Using nationwide data from more than 1.5 million births between 2008 and 2021, the researchers
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 14 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Briana Mercola, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Briana Mercola and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.