May 3, 2024 - News
Texas C-section rate remains steady
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The rate of cesarean births in Texas is more than the national average, according to new data.
By the numbers: In Texas, the 2023 C-section rate was 34.5%, according to provisional CDC data.
- C-sections accounted for about 134,000 of the 388,000 births in Texas last year.
- That rate has fluctuated less than 1% each year over the last eight years.
Zoom out: The national C-section delivery rate increased in 2023 to 32.4%, up from 32.1% in 2022, according to the CDC data.
- That's the highest rate since 2013 and the fourth annual increase after the rate generally declined from 2009-2019, says the CDC.
- The rates are well above the 10%-15% rate the World Health Organization considers "ideal."
Yes, but: An increase in C-sections doesn't necessarily mean the rate of unnecessary procedures has risen.
- There are other factors at play, like sicker patients.
What we're watching: Expanding access to doula care could lower the rates of C-sections.
- Doulas are there for psychological support during the often-overwhelming labor process, and to help with birth positions that could avoid the need for a C-section.