May 23, 2024 - News
Florida is seeing more babies delivered by C-section
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The rate of cesarean births in Florida is higher than the national average.
Why it matters: Florida's 2023 C-section rate was 36.2%, according to provisional CDC data. That's well above the 10-15% rate that the WHO 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.
Patients are sicker overall.
- With 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.
- It's her hypothesis that the rise in those conditions is due to "environmental exposure," and she cites the increasing use of plastics.
Repeat C-sections account for many procedures, even though the old "too posh to push" idea is not widely held.
- "If you have already had a C-section, you will almost always be offered — and indeed the default is likely to be — a second," says Emily Oster, economist and author of "The Unexpected."
Between the lines: Hospital politics might also come into play.
- For example, there are cases when doctors are more inclined to perform C-sections, because that option may be less likely to lead to a medical malpractice lawsuit, van Dis says.
- And health care system reimbursements for C-sections are generally higher than for vaginal births. "Financial incentives almost always play some role," Oster says.
What we're watching: Expanding access to doula care could lower the rates of C-sections.
- A number of studies already suggest that the presence of doulas lower the use of C-sections, Oster says.
- 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, van Dis says.

