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Impatient Doctors Behind Boom in C-Sections

Majority of Caesareans begin before labor

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 31, 2010 2:42 PM CDT

(Newser) – The rate of babies delivered by Caesarean section has been rising steadily since 1996, and a new study thinks it’s identified a reason why: Impatient doctors. According to the study, 44% of women who were trying for vaginal births between 2002 and 2008 had labor induced, which made them twice as likely to wind up having a Caesarean. Half of those Caesareans were performed before the woman’s cervix had dilated to the recommended six centimeters, “suggesting that clinical impatience may play a role,” the authors wrote.

And that’s not counting the many women who opted for a Caesarean before even trying to give birth the old-fashioned way—slightly more than half of Caesareans were performed before labor had even begun. Researchers were also surprised to discover that a third of first-time mothers were having Caesareans—matching the overall numbers. The trend disturbs doctors, the New York Times explains, because Caesareans carry additional risks, but they don’t expect it to stop anytime soon.

Many mothers are having caesarean sections before trying vaginal birth. (Shutterstock)

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brian2kathleen

Sep 1, 2010 9:04 PM CDT

OH MY GOD! WHO IS THIS "KEVIN SPAK," THIS MASSIVE NEW JOURNALISTIC TALENT RESPONSIBLE FOR UNCOVERING SUCH AN UNFATHOMABLE, TOTALLY UNEXPECTED SCOOP OF THE CENTURY? WHAT TIPPED HIM OFF? HOW DID HE EVEN SUSPECT? NOT SINCE WATERGATE HAS SUCH PULITZER WORTHY, MUCKRAKING INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING BEQUEATHED UNTO THE MASSES THIS CALIBER OF SEARING, INCISIVE, BRILLIANT ENTLIGHTENMENT! WHAT'S NEXT FOR THIS YOUNG GIANT? FISH PISS CONTRIBUTES TO OCEAN SALT LEVELS? MILE HIGH CLUB MEMBERS ARE NATURAL RISK TAKERS? ANGELINA JOLIE HAS DADDY ISSUES? I can't wait. With news like this, who needs The Onion?

shonangreg

Aug 31, 2010 8:40 PM CDT

Take this as anecdotal, but . . . I'm reading a book now by Rick Strassman entitled, "DMT: The Spirit Molecule". He claims that DMT is a natural psychedelic produced by our brains (like endorphins and serotonin) that is released at certain critical life moments (like death). He hypothesized that there is a release at birth as well that gives the baby something of a wake-up high. An ecstatic transition that partially conditions our mind and is re-lived when we pass through later life moments. Babies who are delivered by C-section don't get this and are less able to "let go" in clinical psychedelic sessions (p. 76). This may point to other life transitions as being more problem-filled and perhaps avoided for those who were born by C-section. Strassman's research is not definitive on this point, as far as I can tell, but it is just one more reason to not short-circuit the natural way of things unless you have looked at all the variables and are reasonably certain the non-natural way is not problematical.

myflap.blow

Aug 31, 2010 3:29 PM CDT

Impatient doctors? Thats a good cover! We all know its the husbands who would rather not even bother with the whole "add another stitch for me, doc" thing! Its simply lumped-in now with 'Preventative maintenance' of a critical home appliance.

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Impatient Doctors Behind Boom in C-Sections

Majority of Caesareans begin before labor

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pregnancy • women's health • birth • Caesarean section

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