C-section rate expected to rise even more

According to experts at the National Institutes of Health, the national c-section rate is only going to keep rising. Bad news since almost all birth experts conclude that the USA rate for c-sections is way overblown. In fact, c-section rates have risen more than 50%, on average, since the 1990s. How big a deal is it? The rising c-section rate is actually a huge deal. C-sections are a major surgical procedure, not just some easy birth intervention. There are tons of complications that can result due to c-section such as babies born after elective repeat cesarean delivery have significantly higher rates of respiratory morbidity and NICU-admission and have longer hospital stays. Mamas who have c-sections are prone to infection, a longer recovery time frame, decreased baby-mama bonding and more. See more scary c-sections facts. Why are c-section rates so high in the USA? In Scandinavian countries the c-section rates hover in the 20% range, and the researchers from NIH note that there's absolutely no evidence of ill-effects for mothers or babies. So why are rates so high here? Researchers with the NIH guess that rates will go up more because...

• "Many doctors and hospitals follow a policy of 'once a cesarean, always a cesarean'." Which is lame when a VBAC is an option.
• Due to mothers' weight issues - i.e. weighing too much.
• Due to women giving birth later in life plus an increase the number of twins and multiple births.
• The researchers also found evidence that doctors may be opting for a cesarean if a woman encounters difficulties in the early stages of labor - which is insane.

I'm guessing a major reason why rates keep rising is because women don't take enough time to inform themselves about the risks of c-section overuse. Yes, some c-sections are warranted, but the c-section rate here is far too high according to every major health organization on the planet, so there has to be a point where women and families stand up for their own health and say no to c-section abuse. Learn about c-sections before you agree to one:

• Cesarean section checklist for pregnant women.
• Have a smoother labor overall.
• Questions to ask about c-sections.
• Get a midwife and reduce your chances of having a c-section.

*Source