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C-section births rise rapidly to more than 20 percent worldwide
Rates of caesarean section births almost doubled between 2000 and 2015 – from 12 to 21 percent worldwide - new research has found, with the life-saving surgery unavailable to many women in poor countries while often over-used in richer ones.
The research, published in The Lancet medical journal on Thursday, found that 60 percent of countries overuse C-sections and 25 percent under-use them, suggesting that recommendations for their use in cases of medical need are widely ignored.
In at least 15 countries, more than 40 percent of all babies born are delivered by C-section. The highest rate, of 58.1 percent, was in the Dominican Republic.
Experts estimate that between 10 and 15 percent of births medically require a C-section due to complications such as bleeding, foetal distress, hypertension or a baby being in an abnormal position.
While the procedure can save lives - of both mothers and newborns - it can also create complications and side effects, including higher risks for future births.
"The large increases in C-section use – mostly in richer settings for non-medical purposes – are concerning because of the associated risks for women and children," said Marleen Temmerman, an expert from Aga Khan University in Kenya and Ghent University in Belgium who co-led the research.
Also at BBC, EurekAlert!, The Guardian, and Voice of America.
Global epidemiology of use of and disparities in caesarean sections (DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31928-7) (DX)
(Score: 3, Interesting) by bob_super on Friday October 12 2018, @09:47PM (3 children)
> a CS delivery because my daughter never turned upside down.
Funny OT: My niece probably wanted to make a grand entrance by going breach.
The doctor told my sister she'd need a CS. Standard procedure. Safer.
She told him in no uncertain terms that it was not going to happen, on account of being her 5th delivery, she had an experienced doctor, and how her MD diploma meant she knew what she was talking about.
Baby didn't turn. So they triggered the delivery a bit early to avoid extra size issues.
The kicker is that breach vaginal deliveries do not happen anymore, and it was a teaching hospital. Unusual procedures are prized teaching events.
So pretty much the whole OB department, every single OB intern and quite a few doctors, was in the room. Well over 20 people, pushing my brother-in-law out of the way.
Talk about an entrance... That princess had more medical personnel in the room than actual royalty.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 12 2018, @09:58PM (1 child)
"So they triggered the delivery a bit early to avoid extra size issues."
This however causes issues with the cervix. The cervix softens if you wait. Lots of induced births turn into C-section births because the cervix is not ready.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday October 12 2018, @10:06PM
Yup, tradeoffs... 2 weeks early can save up to a couple extra pounds, which can turn a breach from dangerous to deadly.
As stated, there were lots of trained professionals involved in the timing decision.
(Score: 2) by Snow on Friday October 12 2018, @10:02PM
My wife was actually initially given the option to do a breech birth. She wanted to do it, and like you said, her midwife was pretty stoked to be part of a breach birth as they are so rare.
Anyways, I guess there are different type of breech babies. My daughter was basically sitting cross legged (as opposed to biting her knees), and that made it too high risk to proceed.