C-section rate

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi, I'm a nursing student and for one of our class projects we have to post a thread about a question we have from our clinicals. I noticed in my clinical on a maternal/ newborn nursery floor that the C-section rate is quite high. There were also several women opting for C-sections without a medical reason. Has anyone else noticed this in other areas of the country? And if so, what reasons do you think this is happening? I'm curious to know if women fully understand how invasive and risky surgery is. -Renee

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Yep. This is a trend that most of us are not happy to see.

If you do a search, you will find a couple of threads on this topic.

It might be interesting for you to present it during a post-conference in clinical.

Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Fortunately in my area women can only get a C-section if it is medically necessary and most are very against C/S and do their best to have a natural birth. I think the problem is not just that women are improperly informed of the true risks of a C/S but that society i.e. T.V. shows depict birth as the horrendously painful even. We have medicalized birth so much that for some women birth is horrendous...

Let us bring them into harsh rooms with bright lights. Let us make them lie on their backs on hard narrow beds. Let us tether them to machines so they cannot move. Let us make them stay silent and make no noise with their pains. Let us expose their most private parts and threaten them with cold steel. Let us make them push their babies upwards, against the pull of the earth...In these conditions, labour swiftly becomes unbearable and pain relief becomes a woman's only hope...This is not the natural cry of a woman in labour bringing a child to birth., although if you have only ever witnessed childbirth in a medicalized setting you might be forgiven for thinking so. This is the screaming plea of a tethered animal in pain.

Yes the C/S rate is going up. Some women are scared of pain and they don't want to feel anything. They don't realize that C/S pain will be much worse. Some women want "designer deliveries" where they can plan the birth around their schedules. It is getting to be ridiculous. Check out http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com for more information.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

One factor is fear of lawsuits. In some states, anyone who is actively involved in a birth can be sued until the baby turns 18. A common phrase among obstetricians is "You get sued for the Caesarean you didn't do."

Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.

The rise in c-sections is in some ways a good thing and bad thing.

C-sections are bad when:

1. They are elective and not medically necessary....to me I believe this practice should be banned.

2. When a physician does it so he can get home in time for a 7:00 pm. football game...which to me, should be malpractice.

3. Anytime they are done to "hurry the delivery up" when neither Mom or the baby is in distress.

C-sections are good when:

1. Premature infants...many times they will not do well in the stress of a delivery.

2. When Mom has an STD...I believe this should be mandatory.

3. When Mom or the baby isn't doing well....to me, it's a small price to pay to ensure the health of both.

+ Add a Comment