Cesarean Rate Jumps to Record High: Up 53% Since 1996

To read the article in its entirety, click here.  Here is what stood out to me:

“Women are often told it is safer, less painful and easier to have a cesarean, even though cesareans are generally shown to have greater risks and have longer recovery times than VBAC. The choice to have a non-medically indicated surgical procedure is based on a false representation of the risks and consequences of a scheduled repeat cesarean and an inflated representation of the risks and consequences of VBAC.

“Women are subjected to a provider’s lowered risk threshold for practice and do not receive complete informed consent regarding the risks of a cesarean delivery,” said [Desirre] Andrews [President of ICAN]. “Women and their babies are forced to take on increased medical risk during pregnancy and childbirth so that providers can feel they’ve decreased their own non-medical risks in practice.”

Unfortunately, this is blatant proof of why more women need to do the research necessary to have the birth experience that they want versus just taking a provider’s word at face value.

“Women who are seeking information about how to avoid a cesarean, have a VBAC, or are recovering from a cesarean can visit www.ican-online.org for more information.  In addition to more than 130 local chapters worldwide, the group hosts an active on-line discussion group that serves as a resource for mothers.”

~ by cmb0414 on April 1, 2010.