Under The Knife Too Often: Study Finds Local Hospitals Perform Many Unnecessary C-Sections

[The Straight Story]

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Are too many moms-to-be subjected to C-sections when they could have a normal birth? That’s the concern raised in a new study of hospitals in South Jersey, Southeastern Pennsylvania, and across the country.

Caesarean sections are one of the most common surgical procedures and generally are very safe.

“But they still have a slightly higher risk of complications for the mom and some complications for the baby,” says Doris Peter, associate director of Consumer Reports Health. “Adding to recovery time and driving up healthcare costs are other issues.”

One in three moms now has the procedure, compared to one in 20 back in 1970.

“But at the same time,” Peter notes, “the outcomes for moms and babies haven’t gotten better.”

Some C-sections, of course, are medically necessary — such as for multiple births or a breach or other abnormal presentation. But for low-risk births, no hospital in Greater Philadelphia ranked by Consumer Reports (using data from 2010-2011) earned better than an ‘average’ rating for potential C-section overuse.

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2014/05/09/under-the-knife-too-often-study-finds-local-hospitals-perform-many-unnecessary-c-sections/

[HockeyMom]

1. My breach daughter was born in 1979

No C-Section. Even back in those days the hospital was horrified over a natural breach birth. My doctor said to entire OB hospital staff, "Get out of my way and let me, and her, show you how this is done."

[Riftaxe]

2. $hocking

yet hardly surprising

[Crunchy Frog]

3. This has been a well known and well documented problem for decades.

Every so often someone raises a ruckus about it, but then things settle back down and the c-section rates continue to rise.

If you want to read a good book about the subject of birth in this country, you should check out Pushed by Jennifer Block.