Being Pregnant
Yale Pinpoints Reason Behind C-Section Increase
With the c-section rate in the United States sharply increasing over the past decade researchers at Yale were interested in pinpointing exactly why this was happening. Although I didn’t need a big research study to know what the problem was, and their study proved it to me!
Big rises in the state of Connecticut where Yale resides, as well as Rhode Island their neighboring state prompted the original research. In fact after reading the study, I am happy to say one of the high risk Doctors I saw in my third trimester for all the pregnancy complications I was having was a co-author of the study!
Anyways, in the study, it was mainly cited that the number of repeat cesarean sections taking place is a reason for the sharp increase in the surgical deliver numbers. But it is not as cut and dry as the study makes it sound.
With the increase in repeat c-sections is a decrease in the number of VBAC or vaginal birth after cesarean‘s that are taking place, but these are not by choice. In fact 1 out of every 3 hospitals that offer labor and deliver services in this country have completely banned VBAC altogether in recent years. Meaning a large portion of these women are not actually opting to have major surgery to deliver a second, or third time… but because of policy at hospitals, they are forced into surgical deliveries.
Despite speculation that the decreasing use of forceps and vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery have led to increasing cesarean delivery rates, our data shows that since 2003 the increase in cesarean for labor arrest disorders was manifested in the first stage of labor prior to full dilation when forceps or vacuum are not appropriate.” In addition, maternal-choice cesarean births, often cited as another factor, contributed only a small proportion (8%) to the total increase in primary cesarean delivery in the study.
Something again I knew already. Most mothers are not making the choice to have a c-section with little or no medical reasons.
VBAC access certainly is creating a larger problem for women all over the country for sure!
Do you know if your local hospital allows VBAC?
photo: flickr.com/Kelly Sue
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7 Comments
lucy commented on Jun 22 11 at 2:02 pmPuerto Rico is unfortunately at the top with 48% C-section operations. I don’t see them doing any VBAC’s at the hospital where I had my daughter.
Amanda@Ten Little Fingers commented on Jun 22 11 at 4:26 pmI live in a state that has one of the lowest c-section rates in the US, however I ended up with a c-section after nearly 27 hours of labor, dilating to 10 and pushing for 2 hours before my daughter went it to distress after being induced and having an epidural. I am finding it extremely difficult to find a doctor/hospital that is truly VBAC friendly for any future deliveries I have, as the OB that delivered my daughter insists that will not be able to vaginally deliver any other children I have for a few reasons… DD was nearly 9.5 pounds, I gained minimal amounts of weight and was unable to push her out. I have a small pelvis. I know that this is not true. I have recently switched OB’s to a more ‘friendly’ OB but feel that I might have to fight for it.
Elizabeth commented on Jun 22 11 at 4:52 pmHere on Long Island c/s rates are high. The hospitals closest to me, Peconic Bay Medical Center and Southampton Hospital, don’t encourage VBAC b/c they don’t have on site anesthesia.
The best places to go for VBAC on LI are NUMC, with the midwives of Gaia Midwifery, and Stony Brook U, with the Stony Brook Midwives. The midwives offer great care for women and OB back up care on site if needed.ICAN is an organization that offers support for moms who want to avoid c/s.
Danielle625 commented on Jun 22 11 at 5:08 pm@Elizabeth – ICAN is a great organization for support. I am a former chapter leader, as well as the former Regional Coordinator of the North East :)
Aimee commented on Jun 24 11 at 7:22 amAs a doula, I have been honored to attend dozens of VBACs over the years. Fortunately, all of our area hospitals “allow” them, but families must still carefully select supportive doctors (there are very few) and be well-educated before labor begins. I agree that the diminishing number of VBACs (90% of the women I’ve served over the last 20 years have been successful) is pushing the overall cesarean rate up, however, this doesn’t address the artificially high primary cesarean rates (the “original” operative delivery). Until women wake up to the fact that elective (ie., no valid medical reason) induction (90% or higher rate in my area) and epidural anesthesia (also over 90%) seriously compromise their ability to birth their babies in the manner their bodies were created to do, cesarean rates will continue to exceed the WHO’s recommended rates by more than three times (over 30% vs. 10% or less). Cesareans can save lives. I’m not anti-cesarean. But unnecessary major abdominal surgery has driven our maternal mortality and morbidity rates to astronomical levels. I pray for change. I hope others will too.
Michelle commented on Jun 25 11 at 9:02 pmWhile I can see that having an epidural too early in labor could cause problems, I don’t think it does in all cases. With my son I was induced (I was at 3 cm prior but no contractions) I got an epidural around 5 or 6 cm and another at 9/10 cm (the first one was placed incorrectly, but I had no ill side effects from either) and the epidural doctor (can’t spell the official title) asked them how close I was to pushing and they said “right now” so he said he gave me the medicine and dosage of a woman getting a c-section. I could not feel anything, had only labored 7 hours and pushed my son out in 20 minutes with no forceps/vacuum or anything. However, this pregnancy I just found out I’m having twins, so now I’m more than likely going to need a c-section. I’m not sure of percentage, but I know that twin pregnancies are up (due partly to fertility drugs, but not entirely) and I wonder if that has anything to do with the rise in c-sections, since this article didn’t mention anything about that.
Angela Hoy commented on Jun 29 11 at 10:26 amMaine Coast Memorial in Ellsworth, Maine allows VBACs. That’s where I went after firing my doctor in Bangor, Maine after he told me I “had” to have a repeat c-section. I’d previously had 3 vaginal deliveries followed by 1 c-section (for a 10 lb., 4 oz cuddle bug). Recovery from the c-section was FAR longer and more painful than recovery from the vaginal births. I also knew c-sections are usually more risky than vaginal births.
Women need to fight back. The doctor is NOT always right and, remember, they have dollar signs in their eyes. They not only make far more for performing a c-section, but it’s also more convenient for them. It’s scheduled so they don’t need to get up in the middle of the night to rush to the hospital to deliver a baby.
If more women fired doctors and went to those docs and hospitals that allow VBACs, the tide would surely start to turn because the controlling c-section docs would start to feel the pain in their pocketbooks.
Angela Hoy, Author – DON’T CUT ME AGAIN! True Stories About Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)
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