Side effects of C-sections include a risk of infection or other surgical complications. The procedure also lengthens hospital stays for both mother and child, which adds a lot to cost of care, as does the use of an operating room. Babies delivered by C-section are more likely to require a higher and more expensive level of care after birth because they are often slower to clear amniotic fluid from their lungs. And once you've had one C-section, you're likely to have more of them if you give birth again.