In the United States, the surgery that happens most frequently is a cesarean section. In fact, nearly one out of three babies in the nation came into this world via a C-section. It’s a staggering statistic, especially when there is the potential for harm to mothers and babies in otherwise low-risk pregnancies.
C-section rates for low-risk deliveries vary greatly from hospital to hospital, according to a recent Consumer Reports investigation into statistics across the country. The investigation found that a woman could have a nine times greater chance of delivering via cesarean section depending on the hospital.
Unnecessary C-sections may be responsible for about 20,000 major surgical complications a year. A c-section can be life-saving in some situations. But in many low-risk pregnancies, the surgery is not medically necessary, doctors say. Yet, C-section rates in the United States continue to be higher than in other countries.
The problem is that it is difficult to determine which C-sections were not necessary and then put in place steps for prevention. Expectant parents can take proactive measures by researching the hospitals in their area and the C-section rates for low-risk deliveries.
In cases where there was a surgical error during a c-section or a doctor failed to perform one when necessary, families may be able to seek a medical malpractice lawsuit. If there was surgical error, your personal injury attorney must prove that the physician deviated from a standard of care and that negligence resulted in injuries to you or your baby.
Parents-to-be have many decisions ahead. Data into c-section rates at different hospitals provides the information needed to make a knowledgeable choice about where you will deliver your baby.
