Cesarean Section:Commonly known as a C-section, this procedure involves surgically delivering a baby instead of a vaginal birth. The term "Cesarean" indicates that this is an ancient practice. Historically, it was performed when a pregnant woman died near full term to save the baby. Julius Caesar, or possibly an ancestor, is said to have been delivered this way, hence the name "Cesarean."In surgical terms, "section" implies the cutting or dividing of tissue. In this context, it refers to opening the mother's abdominal and uterine walls to deliver the baby.In Shakespeare's "Macbeth," the Witches prophesy that "...none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth" (IV.i). However, Macduff, a Scottish nobleman, was "from his mother's womb/ Untimely ripped," meaning he was not naturally "born of woman" (V.vii). As a result, Macduff was the only one who could defeat Macbeth, ultimately killing him in battle.
