C-Section Most Common US Hospital Procedure.

[Tia]

The most common U.S. hospital procedure is the Caesarean section, with 1.2 million of the operations done each year, according to a government report issued on Tuesday.

Caesarean sections cost $14.6 billion in total charges in 2003, the report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project found.

Anne Elixhauser, an analyst who helped compile the report, said she was initially surprised to learn how common Caesarean sections are. But it makes sense given the number of births, she said.

"There are 4 million babies born every year. Twenty percent or more of them are done by C-section. That is a lot of babies," Elixhauser said in a telephone interview.

"Nearly a quarter of all (U.S) hospital stays are related to pregnancy and childbirth. Most people don't realize what a big chunk of hospital care that is."

link.... http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_26137.html

I'd thought I'd do a poll on this as well.

I can understand a c-section is vital for saving the lives of many mums and bubs, but with a growing trend of women requesting one just for the sake of it.

Are you to posh to push?

 

[Snowbaby]

I guess it depends on your circumstances. For example, if your hubby/partner worked away from home and only had a set time at home.

But no, I voted no! I was taught in college, that babies are much happier when they arrive at their own time, and not induced or c-section. How true it is, I'm not sure. But it's something that stuck out in mind during my training.