title: Public health implications of cesarean on demand.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics & Gynecology and Anesthesiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA. Lauren@LaurenPlante.net
authors.forename: Lauren A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Plante
mesh_terms: 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