The country with the highest rate of C-sections each year is the country of Turkey, according to the most recent statistics.
C-sections are often seen as safe and relatively straightforward, compared with the 'unpredictability' of normal labour and birth. It is precisely this fear of normal birth, experienced by women and their care providers, that is helping to drive c-section rates up.
In 2021, one third (33%) of selected women giving birth for the first time had a caesarean section. The proportion of selected women giving birth for the first time having a caesarean section birth: increased from 1 in 4 women (25%) in 2004, to 1 in 3 (33%) in 2021.
obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYN) are the specialists who are sued the most in Turkey; 45% of Turkish doctors prefer caesarean sections because of malpractice lawsuits concerns, 41% because it is less risky and 27% because it is shorter, easier and safer.
There's also no set rule when it comes to the number of C-sections you can have. "I have performed a woman's sixth C-section with virtually no complications or difficulties, and I have performed second cesarean sections with many adhesions and potential complications," says Jason S.
“So, every patient is different and every case is unique. However, from the current medical evidence, most medical authorities do state that if multiple C-sections are planned, the expert recommendation is to adhere to the maximum number of three.”
The country of Iceland is one such nation, with only 159.7 C-sections per 1,000 live births in 2019. Norway is another country with a fairly low C-section rate. In 2019, 159.1 C-sections per 1,000 births were performed in Norway. The country with the lowest rate of C-sections per 1,000 live births in 2019 was Israel.
At present, 40.5% of all births are by CS in Latin America and the Caribbean and Southern America is the subregion with the highest rates of CS in the world with 42.9%. Africa shows the lowest average rate of CS with 7.3%, which is a weighted average between 3.5% in sub-Saharan Africa and 27.8% in Northern Africa.
In 2017, caesarean section rates remain lowest in Nordic countries (Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway), Israel and the Netherlands, with rates ranging from 15% to 17% of all live births (Figure 9.16). They were highest in Korea, Chile, Mexico and Turkey, with rates ranging from 45% to 53% of all births.
About 3 out of every 5 caesarean births in Australia are planned (elective). Sometimes health problems or pregnancy complications mean that a caesarean birth would be safer than a vaginal birth.
Some doctors prefer cesarean to vaginal birth because it is faster, more convenient and more profitable [8].
C-Sections: Life-saving in some cases, overuse in others
Many pregnant people elect to have a C-section to allow them to plan around delivery or simply because they would prefer not to deliver vaginally. Others are pressured into surgery, or have their wishes ignored.
Even though labor and vaginal birth can be hard work, they are generally easier on a woman's body than a cesarean. Recovery after vaginal birth is usually shorter and less painful than after a C-section, and allows the woman to spend more time with her baby.
Induction of labour occurs in countries like Australia, the US and the UK on average about 25% of all births. Interventions in these countries are becoming the norm and we're seeing c-section rates averaging around 30%.
Overall, pelvic floor problems are rare enough that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that vaginal births are safer than C-sections. Talk with your healthcare provider about your birth options. Ask what is best for you and your baby.
C-sections are more likely to cause chronic pelvic pain. You're more likely to have a C-section in future pregnancies. Your baby may have trouble breastfeeding. Your baby may be at greater risk for breathing problems.
Having a c-section can increase the chance of having a low-lying placenta, placenta accreta or damage to the wall of the womb. But these problems are not common. You can usually choose whether to give birth vaginally or have another c-section. If you're fit and healthy, the risks involved are very low.
Side effects of common labor interventions.
Current research suggests that some labor interventions make a c-section more likely. For example, labor induction among first-time mothers and/or when the cervix is not soft and ready to open appears to increase the likelihood of cesarean birth.
During 2019-2021 (average) in the United States, cesarean delivery rates were highest for black infants (36.2%), followed by Asian/Pacific Islanders (32.7%), Hispanics (31.4%), Whites (30.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Natives (29.0%).
Worldwide caesarean section rates have risen from around 7% in 1990 to 21% today, and are projected to continue increasing over this current decade.
In urban areas, the CS rate slightly increased from 50.4% in 2008 to 52.3% in 2014, and then slightly decreased to 47.8% in 2018. However, in rural areas, the CS rate had significantly increased from 33.1% in 2008 to 43.8% in 2015.
For example, the more C-sections you have, the more likely you are to have a uterine rupture. With each C-section, there's a higher chance of scar tissue buildup, heavy bleeding, and problems with the placenta.
Conclusion: The higher order (5-9) repeat caesarean sections carry no specific additional risk for the mother or the baby when compared with the lower order (3 or 4) repeat caesarean sections.
Although multiple repeat cesarean section are asscociated with adhesion occurrence, higher number of blood transfusion, increased operation time and length of hospital stay, there is no remarkable difference in serious morbidity associated with multiple repeat cesarean section.