Friday, July 23, 2010

The Risks of Cesarean Section

"Cesarean section is the most common major surgical procedure performed in the United States." So goes the opening sentence by the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services of a lengthy expose' outlining the statistics, truth, and information needed to make a true informed decision about cesarean sections. Unlike mainstream America - as evidenced by the participation in consumer- and physician-elected c-sections - I find that sentence to be rather disconcerting. When has something as natural as birth become something that needs a 32% intervention rate in major surgery? I will not attempt to summarize the entire study here, but I encourage you to read it, and continually ask yourself "Why?"

WHY - do we "need" so many c-sections?

WHY - have the c-section rates increased so dramatically?

WHY - do we see this as normal?

WHY - are we accepting this without question?

Make Informed Decisions! Care enough about your body, your baby, and your birth to make decisions for yourself, to question the status quo, and to realize that fallible man does not have all the answers!

No comments:

Post a Comment