C-Sections: New Guidelines Urge Reduction in Birthing Surgical-Procedure

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the number of Cesarean (C-section) deliveries in 2011 was 1,293,267. That's approximately 32.8 percent of births that year in the United States. And the numbers seem to be increasing due to various reasons. 

There are many instances why a mother may require a C-section, including but not limited to an illness or congenital condition that could affect the baby's health, a baby that is too large to be delivered vaginally, multiple births, when the baby is in a certain position, issues with the placenta or preeclampsia-a high blood pressure problem that can develop in some pregnancies.

However, many doctors feel that this surgical birthing procedure may be used too often, and can require more recovery time for the mother following the birth of the child. Some statistics also show that the process may be more dangerous. 

According to new guidelines released by two major medical societies-the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine-doctors are recommending that healthy pregnant patients wait before choosing to go with this form of birth.

"Labor takes a little longer than we may have thought," said Dr. Aaron Caughey, who co-authored the guidelines for the American College of Obstetriations, via Philly.com. "Evidence now shows that labor actually progresses slower than we thought in the past, so many women might just need a little more time to labor and deliver vaginally instead of moving to a cesarean delivery," he added, via ABC News.

The report discussed how doctors should let more of a natural period continue for those with an overall healthy pregnancy. They also stated that doctors should not perform C-sections immediately if the child is in the breech position, yet recommend that the baby be turned around by external pressure.

Along with that, doctors recommend that women push for at least two hours if they've delivered before and three if it's their first delivery. With an epidural, the process should be expected to take even longer.

Women are also encouraged to avoid excessive weight gain during pregnancy as it may increase the need for a C-section.

"Physicians do need to balance risks and benefits, and for some clinical conditions, cesarean is definitely the best mode of delivery," SMFM President Dr. Vincenzo Berghella said in a statement. "But for most pregnancies that are low-risk, cesarean delivery may pose greater risk than vaginal delivery, especially risks related to future pregnancies."

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