One-Third Of Births Were C-Sections In 2005, AHRQ Report Says

Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 18 Feb 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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About one-third of births in the U.S. were by caesarean section in 2005, according to a recently released report by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, United Press International reports (United Press International, 2/15).

The report found that 1.3 million births in the U.S. were by c-section in 2005, up from the 800,000 c-section deliveries in 1995 (Goldstein, Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/15). According to the report, the increase occurred as vaginal deliveries among women who gave birth in hospitals declined by 3% from about three million in 1995 to 2.9 million in 2005. Vaginal births after c-sections dropped by 60%, from 157,200 in 1995 to 62,300 in 2005, the report found.

Anne Elixhauser, an analyst at AHRQ, said that one reason for the increase in c-sections could be that "obstetricians are more and more risk averse," adding, "They're doing whatever they need to make sure the outcome of the delivery is a good one" (Cooley, CQ HealthBeat, 2/14). The report is based on data from AHRQ's Healthcare Costs and Utilization Project, which highlights the latest data on a range of inpatient care subjects, including childbirth (AHRQ release, 2/15).

The report is available online (.pdf).

Massachusetts C-Section Deliveries in 2006 Increase, State Report Says

In related news, a Massachusetts Department of Public Health report released Wednesday found that the percentage of births by c-section increased to 33.4% in the state in 2006, the Boston Herald reports. According to the report, the rate of c-section deliveries in the state has been increasing since 1997.

Lauren Smith, medical director of DPH, said, "We're concerned about the trend because a c-section is significant surgery and it does pose risk." She added that there are valid reasons for c-sections, such as high-risk pregnancy but that unnecessary c-sections can increase the risk of infection and other problems (Fargen, Boston Herald, 2/14).

JudyAnn Bigby, Massachusetts secretary of health and human services, announced Wednesday that she plans to convene a panel to investigate the increase of c-section deliveries in the state, the Boston Globe reports. According to Bigby, the panel could potentially set standards for delivery methods in obstetrical units. "It's important for us to step back and say, 'Why is this happening, and is it in the best interest of the public?'" Bigby said, adding, "This is not a minor surgical procedure; it's a big deal. We need to understand why this trend continues" (Smith, Boston Globe, 2/14).

The report found that there were 77,670 births in the state in 2006, an increase of 846 from 2005. Infant mortality among blacks was about 2.6 times greater than among whites, according to the report. The report also found that Hispanics had a birth rate of 72.7 births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19, compared with 12.4 births per 1,000 white females of the same age group (Boston Herald, 2/14).

The Massachusetts report also is available online (.pdf).

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