Repeat c-section risks are real and relevant

Photo: Press Association

Amanda Holden has been talking to The Sun newspaper about her recent birth experience during which she almost died.

Thankfully, both Amanda and her new baby Hollie are safe and healthy, but their experience demonstrates the very real risks associated with repeat c-sections - and in particular, placental problems.

Amanda told The Sun, "I had something called placenta previa - a low-lying placenta that prevents you from giving birth naturally. I also had placenta accreta - which meant my placenta was stuck to the C-section scar from the two previous births."

We write about placental complications in our book, and of course individual women will balance these risks with the risks associated with planned vaginal birth too, but I decided to blog about them here to highlight that no birth plan - no matter how 'safe' it seems - is inherently risk-free.