Caesarean Births Are at a High in U.S.

Since 1996 the rate of caesarean births are on the rise. Today it is about 32% of all women in the US are having “c-sections”. Although a caesarean can save mother an child during childbirth, today it is to common “its not good for anybody” says Dr. George A. Macones, the chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Washington University in St. Louis and a spokesman for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. He believes that the rate is going up but it is falling to help anybody. “We’re not improving the health of babies being delivered or of moms”. A caesarean procedure raises the odds that the uterus will rupture during the next pregnancy, this can be life-threatening for both the mother and the baby. Also repeating “c-sections” make it nearly impossible o have a large family due to the risks. A new report on caesarean births states that, “In addition to health and safety risks for mothers and newborns, hospital charges for a Caesarean delivery are almost double those for a vaginal delivery, imposing significant costs.” Another contributing factor is today women a giving birth older, they are more likely to have a “c-section”. However the most radical rise has been in women closer to 25. Another contributing factor is the nonmedical problems obstetricians face. For example, they fear getting sued if the baby is harmed after or during pregnancy. “One of the major factors is professional liability, ending up in court,” Dr. Macones said. A recent poll of 5,644 of the members of the journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, found that 29 percent said they were performing more Caesareans because they feared lawsuits. Dr Macones says that often the women push to be induced; induced patience’s risk to end up in a caesarean surgery is higher. Hospitals also often refuse to allow women that have had a “c-section” to give birth normally. Dr. Menacker said: “It looks as if this is a trend that is continuing. I don’t know what the future will hold.”
This article was very interesting, I actually really enjoyed it. I found that it was incredibly interesting and I learned a lot.