The short answer
A planned caesarean is usually booked from 39 weeks of pregnancy, when there is a medical reason a vaginal birth would be less safe. On Mezo it is a single all-in price that covers the obstetrician, anaesthetist, theatre, midwifery care, your medicines and three nights in hospital. Your baby's paediatric care and any blood transfusion are confirmed in writing before the date.
Book a planned caesarean, from ₦950,000Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Step by step
- 1
Consultation
See the obstetrician, confirm why a caesarean is advised, and agree a date, usually from 39 weeks.
- 2
Written quote and payment
Receive the written all-in quote, including what applies to your baby's care, and pay online. If you have an HMO, ask it early what it covers for delivery.
- 3
The week before
Blood tests and the anaesthetic review. Pack your bag: loose clothes, maternity pads, baby clothes and wrapper, nappies, toiletries and your antenatal notes.
- 4
The night before
Follow the fasting instructions exactly, and take any medicines you are told to.
- 5
The day
Arrive early. The operation takes about an hour, under a spinal anaesthetic, so you are awake to meet your baby.
- 6
Three nights and home
Walking from the first day, help with feeding, then home, with the six-week review booked.
When a planned caesarean is advised
- Your baby is lying bottom first or sideways near term
- The placenta lies over the neck of the womb (placenta praevia)
- You have had two or more previous caesareans
- Some twin pregnancies, and some medical conditions in the mother
- A previous myomectomy where the surgeon advised against labour
When it is not the right choice
After one previous caesarean, many women can plan a vaginal birth, and that conversation should happen first. A planned caesarean before 39 weeks without a medical reason is not advised, because babies born earlier are more likely to have breathing problems. If you would like a caesarean without a medical reason, discuss it fully with your obstetrician, including the longer recovery and what a scar on the womb means for future pregnancies.
What the Mezo price includes, and what it does not
Included:
- Consultant obstetrician and anaesthetist
- Theatre time and a spinal anaesthetic
- Midwifery and nursing care
- Your bed for three nights
- Your medication and consumables while admitted
- The postnatal review at six weeks
- Not included: antenatal care and scans, a paediatrician at the birth and any neonatal care your baby needs, blood transfusion, care for serious complications, and take-home medicines. Twins, an emergency caesarean in labour, or a third or later caesarean are priced differently.
Planning the weeks before
Your obstetrician confirms the reason and agrees a date. In the week before, you have a blood count and group, and meet the anaesthetist. Arrange how you will get to hospital: on a weekday morning in Lagos, leave well before you think you need to. Plan who will stay with you, and who will help at home for the first weeks, whether that is your mother for omugwo or another relative.
If labour starts, your waters break or you bleed before the date, do not wait: go to the hospital straight away.
Booking from abroad or for a family member
If you live abroad and are coming home to deliver, or are arranging the birth for a wife or daughter in Nigeria, you can book and pay online. A care coordinator arranges the consultation and the day. Check airline rules on flying late in pregnancy, and plan to arrive well before 36 weeks.
What it costs on Mezo
Three nights in hospital included.
Common questions
How much is a CS in Lagos?
A planned caesarean on Mezo is from ₦950,000, all-in for your care, including three nights in hospital. Your written quote confirms what applies to your baby's care before the date.
Does my HMO cover a caesarean?
Many HMO plans cover delivery up to a limit, and some only after a waiting period, so ask your HMO early. Whatever you would pay yourself is confirmed in writing before anything is booked.
Can I choose the date of my caesarean?
The date is agreed with your obstetrician, usually from 39 weeks. Choosing an earlier date for convenience is not advised, because of the baby's breathing.
Will I be awake?
Most planned caesareans are done under a spinal anaesthetic, so you are awake but feel no pain. Your partner can often be with you; ask the hospital.
The procedures
Related health guides
More patient guides
Sources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Caesarean section. NHS. Patient information.
- Caesarean birth. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
Links last checked 22 October 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.