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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Cut Down on C-Sections, Experts Tell US Women

Hospitals profit from unnecessary cesareans

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(Newser) – American women are risking their health and driving up medical costs by having too many cesarean sections, the Los Angeles Times reports. The most common operation in the US, the C-section is used in 31% of births and accounts for 45% of rising birth costs. It can also lead to infections, blood clots, and premature births. And it often isn't necessary, medical experts say.

The US out-cesareans most industrialized nations, perhaps because celebrity magazines have reported on the procedure—Victoria Beckham had three—and doctors like its convenience. But some hospitals are striking back, opposing elective births before 39 weeks. The strategy may also help the US control its $2.4-trillion annual healthcare bill. "Maternity care plays a considerable role in escalating healthcare costs," said one think tank report.

Uncomplicated cesareans can cost anywhere from $4,500 to $13,000.
Uncomplicated cesareans can cost anywhere from $4,500 to $13,000.   (Flickr)
Victoria Beckham makes an appearance as spokesmodel at Macy's. After she had three cesarean sections, doctors reported that more women requested the procedure.
Victoria Beckham makes an appearance as spokesmodel at Macy's. After she had three cesarean sections, doctors reported that more women requested the procedure.   (AP Photo/Peter Kramer)
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Cesarean birth ends up being a profit center in hospitals, so there's not a lot of incentive to reduce them. - Dr. Elliot Main, chief of obstetrics for Sutter Health

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3 comments
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janbee
May 17, 09 6:43 PM CDT
this is absolutely hysterical -- what woman in the US walks into the hospital and requests a C-section. From my own experience it is Doctors and not men and women that have determined that C-sections were preferred ~ duh, do the math. It doesn't matter what the procedure is if doctors figure out a way to collect more money for a medical procedure -- 100% of the time that is the is the doctor procedure du jour. Want to change medical costs talk to the AMA -- get real what woman wants her belly cut open through musclature to deliver their child and incur a significant extended recovery time. OB-Gyn doctors prefer C-sections for 2 reasons ~ inflated fees and also it gets them back on the golf course rather than having to wait around for a woman and child to be ready to deliver. What Bozo is responsible for this. It is what is wrong with healthcare in this country and woman are not the culprits. Father of 2 delivered by the "C" -- and to think I could have been out playng ccards on the nights when we attended the LeMars classes. Reply
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Jojo
May 17, 09 7:00 PM CDT
I have to disagree janbee - I've worked in the medical field for over 20 years and it is requested by the patients more than you would believe. In fact when I was 20 I was working in registration at a huge hospital and nearly every single maternity patient I pre-registered asked me if they could arrange a c-section, not knowing I (or the registration dept) had nothing to do with that at all. Later working for Ob/Gyn's I learned that the majority of them give their patient's a choice. If you give a woman a choice between hours of agony and having to push a football out of a hole the size of a banana, or getting even better drugs and having a small incision placed across your lower abdomen, which do you think they will prefer? The funny thing is when I was 15 my sister had her baby and had to have an emergency C-section and had all kinds of pain/problems with the incision afterward. When I was pregnant I begged my doctor to NOT give me a C-section both times and had 2 regular deliveries. Reply
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proxieme2
May 17, 09 8:36 PM CDT
Yeah, I'll have to concur w/ Jojo, janbee - a surprising number of women request C-Sections, actually. Reply
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