Since the cesarean rate began rising in the late 1970s, the obstetric community has debated what the rate should be and even objected to trying to set a rate at all.6, 7 A guest post I did awhile back for Lamaze’s blog “Connecting the Dots” documents that yes, it is...
In a recent post, we discussed evidence-based practices that maximize your chances of avoiding an avoidable cesarean, but not all cesareans can or should be avoided. This post covers evidence-based practices that enhance cesarean recovery. They come from a set of...
Previously, we documented that first and repeat cesarean rates are much higher than they should be and focused on how to choose a care provider who would best promote avoiding a first cesarean and who would best promote avoiding a repeat cesarean. Now we turn to...
For more than a decade, the U.S. cesarean rate has stood at 33%.5 That’s one in every three pregnant women for over ten years having their baby via major abdominal surgery. One reason for this is the rate in 1st-time mothers: one in four 1st-time mothers at low risk...
Recent years have seen publication of a series of large database analyses comparing outcomes of vaginal birth with cesarean delivery. They have provided sufficient data for reviewers to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of long-term outcomes. The first of...
Research has long established that hospital-level cesarean rates vary widely for reasons that cannot be explained by variations in their patient populations. Theorizing that the challenges of caring for an unpredictable number of women with unpredictable and rapidly...
If the list of cesarean harms weren’t long enough already, Consumer Reports points to another one: women who have hysterectomies are more likely to experience complications if they have previously had cesareans. Let’s take a look at the study. Investigators identified...
If you’ve ever wondered how much could be accomplished if a hospital made a concerted effort to reduce cesareans—and not because an insurance company held a metaphorical gun to its head—this study is for you. EurekAlert reports that Boston’s Beth Deaconess Hospital...
A study in the most recent issue of Birth provides eye-opening illumination on non-medical reasons for high cesarean rates (Kennedy 2016). Investigators at Yale’s med-school affiliated hospital conducted in-depth interviews eliciting opinions on how the institution...
A UPI report summarizes the findings of a systematic review (a study of studies) of 60 studies comparing the likelihood of deep venous clots and pulmonary embolism (venous thromboembolism) after cesarean delivery versus vaginal birth. Meta-analysis (pooling data from...
The first in Henci’s new Take Charge of Your Birth Series, Labor Pain: What’s Your Best Strategy? delivers up-to-date access to the best medical research plus practical strategies for developing your plan and putting it into action. Also available in audiobook.
