California is seeing more babies delivered by C-section
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Nearly a third of California's babies are born through cesarean sections — a surgical procedure that's been on the rise since 2020, according to recent provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
Why it matters: That's well above the 10-15% rate that the World Health Organization considers "ideal."
Zoom in: San Diego County hospitals reported lower-than-average C-section rates.
- UC San Diego Health reported a 23.8% rate between July 2021 and June 2022.
- Scripps Health's maternity hospitals reported rate was 21.9% for 2023.
- Sharp Grossmont Hospital's most recent data, from January 2024, indicates it has a C-section rate of 20%.
Caveat: Health care facilities' C-section rates vary widely depending on their capacity, clinical protocols and the populations they serve, so the WHO's "ideal" recommended rate can't be applied at the hospital level.
The big picture: The national C-section delivery rate increased slightly in 2023 to 32.4%, up from 32.1% in 2022, according to the CDC.
- That's the highest rate since 2013, and the fourth annual increase after the rate generally declined from 2009-2019, says the CDC.
Yes, but: An increase doesn't necessarily mean the rate of unnecessary procedures has risen — there are other factors at play.
Between the lines: Repeat C-sections account for many procedures and patients are sicker overall.
- With conditions like gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy on the rise, there could be a greater need for C-sections, says Jane van Dis, OB-GYN and assistant professor at the University of Rochester.
- Van Dis says it's her hypothesis that the rise in those conditions is due to "environmental exposure," and she cites the increasing use of plastics.
Plus, health care system reimbursements for C-sections are generally higher than for vaginal births.
What we're watching: Expanding access to doula care could lower the rates of the procedure.
Go deeper: Why rates are rising — and the risks