While scanning the internet, I came across several threads that said the percentages of caesarean sections have DRAMATICALLY increased during the last few years. In 1990 only 5 % of woman needed to have a C-section, BUT now in the 2020's that percentage has increased to aprox 22 %. According to the articles I read, many, many more women are CHOOSING C-sections rather than go through normal child birth. ( at least in the U.S. ) The articles said that OB-GYN's charge much more for C-sections is much than for a normal birth . But the articles did not mention whether insurance covers those extra cost IF it is solely the choice of the mother. I rather curious, what do our female readers have to say about why women are choosing C-sections over normal child birth ?
I thought a lot of it was from the doctor's side, since you get a C-section at a prearranged time, versus not knowing when labor is going to start or how long it may take. I'm not sure I buy the "by choice" statement.
If the articles are correct then the percentage of C-sections has increased from 5% in 1990 to 22 % in 2020. What other possible reason could there be than choice ? Surely, women's bodies could not have changed that dramatically in merely 3 decades.
It could be doctors "recommending" (or pressuring) women into getting them as a matter of convenience. I guess women technically have a "choice," but I bet there's pressure. Here is an article on forced C-sections The rise of the c-section is tied not to maternal or fetal outcomes, but to organizational and legal imperatives. To those ends, a woman’s rights to bodily integrity and decision-making–even the right to refuse surgery–are frequently challenged in childbirth.
Women's bodies have definitely changed; haven't you seen the obesity rates lately? One other factor is that newborn babies are also larger than in the past. I have no idea whether either of these have anything to do with the rate of c-sections, though.
I don't believe any of the female members (including me) have any idea about why the c-section rates have increased. We can speculate but we don't know anything more than you do.
Birth weight trend data is all over the place. A 2010 Harvard article says "U.S. Birth weights on the decline." A 2011 NIH article says babies weight 1# heavier than in 1970 and are 1/2" longer. A 2022 article puts average birth weight between 6# 9 oz and 7# 11 oz I still stand by my position that c-sections are pushed on women for convenience and to avoid complications (and the attendant liability.) I've read about it before, and current articles confirm it. Search on "c-sections forced on women" Some of the stuff is disturbing.
I had two babies, one weighed 8 lb and one weighed 9 lb. No doctor ever mentioned a c-section to me, though that was a long time ago. I'd venture to guess that women having "average" size babies would not be included in those having surgery to deliver larger babies. I would not presume to know why the rates of c-section have increased and no amount of googling is going to convince me. Plus, I don't give a damn so there's that.
Those were big babies. And of course the internet is there to make us all happy: seek and thee shall find whatever thy preferred truth is.
LOL!!!! Guilt. The gift that keeps on giving. Buy him 2 shirts for his next birthday, then whine about his not liking the one he's not wearing at that moment.
Beth, I found a few more articles and they mentioned that more women are choosing C-section to avoid the pain/stress of normal child birth.
I'm sure some women may, but having a c-section isn't a walk in the park, either. People do things for all kinds of reasons.