How do you interpret the rising rate of caesarean section in the world? Is it due to patient factors or medical reasons?
It is known that the rate of caesarean deliveries are rising globally. Many factors are contributing to its increase. It is partly by the influence of patients themselves opting for surgery, while others may be driven by medically indicated or un-indicated reasons.
Surgery
Ramadhani
It is both biological, social, and individual factors; CS gives women the power to decide when to deliver. Advanced medicine has made CS less risky, some previous bad experiences with normal delivery could be a factor. In some societies, family chooses certain dates/days for their believe which makes it easier for CS than normal delivery.
Dr Mac
I had a hysterotomy and three hysterectomies. As I am a veterinarian who has done a LOT of caesarian sections on companion animals and production animals I was VERY dissatisfied. My opinion is that there are too many obstetric cases in the hospitals and staff opt for surgery because it takes less time than monitoring a birth AND the profit is a great deal higher. The excuse I heard was that surgery is better for the baby. Well I have several female colleagues in Academia who gave birth naturally to VERY intelligent children. Women need to join a society of sorts in their area and help raise funds for clinics where you can go if you are in labour; there will be midwives available and they can refer for surgery if needed.
Daniel N. Munywoki
Some hospitals encourage CS due to the monetary gains raked in from insurance companies. In other cases, it is the patients requesting because of fear of birth or labour pains.
Ovidiu Tatar
Unless we have clear data that the incidence of medical indications has risen, most probably the increase in the number of caesarean deliveries is driven by patient preferences .
Federico Benetti MD
Several factors vary in each country and also within it. Apart from the woman's desire for factors of all kinds, from medical condition to cultural and medical-legal, there are factors of economic convenience of both parties that play a fundamental role in the cesarean section intervention.
Ariana
Both
1. Some women do not want to 1) feel labor pain, 2) have medical problems, 3) Older women with more comorbidities get pregnant. 4) "precious child" out of assisted reproduction pressure.
2. OBGYNs get less training and less practice on the complications of natural delivery hence they are scared to perfom. The number of midwives practicing is shrinking by the day and there are not enough schools of midwives available.
1. Some women do not want to 1) feel labor pain, 2) have medical problems, 3) Older women with more comorbidities get pregnant. 4) "precious child" out of assisted reproduction pressure.
2. OBGYNs get less training and less practice on the complications of natural delivery hence they are scared to perfom. The number of midwives practicing is shrinking by the day and there are not enough schools of midwives available.
Goran Augustin
The answer is very easy. Two reasons.
1. Some women do not want to 1) feel labor pains, 2) have any problems, including episiotomy resulting in sexual dysfunction, with their body image, which can result in vaginal delivery, and 3) eliminate any fetal issues with complications of vaginal delivery.
2. Older women with more comorbidities (D mellitus, obesity, etc) get pregnant. Also, many (older) women need assisted reproductive technologies to get pregnant. All these factors increase obstetric complications, and elective or emergent C-section is the only option. In a tertiary referral centre in Zagreb, Croatia, the C-section rate is currently 40%, and 10 years ago, it was 26%. All pathologic pregnancies come to that centre.
1. Some women do not want to 1) feel labor pains, 2) have any problems, including episiotomy resulting in sexual dysfunction, with their body image, which can result in vaginal delivery, and 3) eliminate any fetal issues with complications of vaginal delivery.
2. Older women with more comorbidities (D mellitus, obesity, etc) get pregnant. Also, many (older) women need assisted reproductive technologies to get pregnant. All these factors increase obstetric complications, and elective or emergent C-section is the only option. In a tertiary referral centre in Zagreb, Croatia, the C-section rate is currently 40%, and 10 years ago, it was 26%. All pathologic pregnancies come to that centre.
Marema
I think both factors have contributed to cesarean section. The increased early diagnosis of pregnancy conditions has increased the rate of CS. as well the availability of CS increased personal choice.
Maria Marta Facchinetti
It is due to both the individual election to avoid normal pain, and to medical reasons (i.e. nowadays a higher proportion of women choose to have babies later in their lives and therefore, higher risks for the labour work is more frequent)
PharmCath