Some have attributed the significant rise in CS rates to the increase in older and more obese pregnant women (RANZCOG – AIHW releases data on caesarean section in Australia). Indeed, age ≥35 years and obesity can increase the chances of health issues including high blood pressure, diabetes, and multiple pregnancies.
Australia's caesarean section rate was higher than the OECD average over this time and ranked 27th out of 34 OECD countries in 2017, with a rate of 33.7 per 100 live births (ranked from lowest to highest) (OECD 2019). In 2020, 37% of all women giving birth in Australia had a caesarean section (AIHW 2022).
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.
Which Country Has the Most C-Sections Each Year? The country with the highest rate of C-sections each year is the country of Turkey, according to the most recent statistics.
Blood loss is less than vaginal birth.” “Cesarean birth is faster than vaginal birth.” “Planned cesarean sections are convenient, date and time can be selected, and there is no need to wait for spontaneous labor.
Caesarean section is a relatively safe operation; however, possible complications include infection, damage to your internal organs, an increased risk of respiratory distress for your baby and complications with future pregnancies.
Modern Prevalence of C-sections
It was not until the mid-1960s that C-section rates began to dramatically increase, starting a trend that is continuing today. From 1965 to 1985 C-section delivery rates went up over 400% and today about 1 out of every 3 babies is delivered by C-section.
Nevertheless, caesarean sections should be provided based on need, rather than striving to achieve a specific rate. 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).
Labor that isn't progressing (labor dystocia) is one of the most common reasons for a C-section. Issues with labor progression include prolonged first stage (prolonged dilation or opening of the cervix) or prolonged second stage (prolonged time of pushing after complete cervical dilation).
For some women and babies, a c-section is safer than vaginal birth. If you have medical conditions that affect your pregnancy, you may need a c-section to protect the health of your baby. A c-section may be planned (also called scheduled).
C-sections do come with risks as with any major surgery for example infections in the wound itself. You will also have a longer recovery period and breast feeding may not be possible straight away. You may not be able to have skin to skin contact straight away which can impact on the bonding process.
Babies born by Caesarean section have dramatically different gut bacteria to those born vaginally, according to the largest study in the field. The UK scientists say these early encounters with microbes may act as a "thermostat" for the immune system.
“Cesarean delivery results in fewer bacteria in the baby's gut being like its mother's. This is not known to be harmful and mothers who need a caesarean should not be alarmed.
2022 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, to better understand the racial gap in cesarean sections, which are considered riskier than vaginal deliveries. “Several studies have shown that Black women undergo cesarean more frequently than non-Hispanic White women.
Kristina House (USA) has given birth to 11 children (six girls and five boys) all by Caesarean section between 15 May 1979 and 20 November 1998.
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.
The overall cesarean delivery rate in the United States increased 60% from 1996 to 2009, from 20.7% to 32.9% (1). From 2009 to 2019, the cesarean delivery rate generally declined, reaching 31.7% in 2019 (2) before increasing in 2020 (31.8%) and 2021 (32.1%) (3).
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.
Typical costs
For patients with private health insurance who had a Caesarean section (no complications) in a private setting across all of Australia, 51% had an out-of-pocket cost. Of those: Patients typically paid: $450, Medicare paid: $1,000, Insurer typically paid: $2,000. Typical specialists' fees: $3,500.
There's usually no limit to the number of caesarean sections you can have. But the more caesareans you have, the longer each operation will take and the higher your risk of serious complications becomes. You will have scar tissue where your wounds have healed after each operation.
How much do C-sections cost? As a public patient in a public hospital, C-sections will be fully covered under Medicare. In a private hospital, surgery for a C-section can cost over $10,000 on average, although estimates do vary. Bupa's surgery cost calculator, for example, puts the average price at $11,476.
Ana Langer, who leads the Women and Health Initiative at the Harvard T.H. Chan school of public health, one of the most telling findings in the study is that more than 10 percent of women undergoing a C-section died from complications due to anesthesia.