Public health implications of cesarean on demand.
Cesarean rates have been rising in the United States. Recently, there has been an upsurge of interest in "cesarean on maternal request" in the absence of any medical indication, a phenomenon that will further increase the cesarean rate. This trend may not be benign on a population basis, and reliable data are lacking. This article reviews reasons for the increasing cesarean rate, describes maternal and neonatal consequences likely to accrue with a policy of cesarean on demand, and explores larger implications for public health.
Plante
Lauren A
LA
Obstetrics & Gynecology and Anesthesiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA. Lauren@LaurenPlante.net
D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000523:psychology; D011634:Public Health / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States