title: Cesarean versus vaginal delivery: whose risks? Whose benefits?
abstract: We reviewed the risks and benefits of vaginal and cesarean delivery to help frame the inherent trade-offs that should be considered as part of the informed consent discussion between patients and providers. We performed a targeted literature review for common complications of childbirth. Approximately 30% of women will experience a maternal or neonatal complication during childbirth. Both cesarean and vaginal delivery is associated with well-known measurable short- and long-term maternal and neonatal complications and benefits. Childbirth is not risk free. There are data available that can guide the informed consent process with objective quantifiable data that patients and providers can use to weigh risks and benefits of delivery methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars Sinai Medical Center/Burns Allen Research Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA. gregory@cshs.org
authors.forename: Kimberly D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: Sherri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Korst
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fridman
mesh_terms: D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment