April is Cesarean Awareness Month
By Tine Reese
April 8, 2010With the C-section rate in the U.S. up to over a third of all births, it’s no wonder families are starting to pay attention to potential risks of unnecessary cesareans. The well-researched Unnecesarean website says, “The Cesarean section is an essential, life-saving surgery for both mother and child when performed with medical indication. However, too many women and their partners are unnecessarily coerced into the surgery by doctors under the argument that it’s what’s best for their baby or babies and for their body.”
The International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) is the sponsor of Cesarean Awareness Month. “It is a time for awareness for all pregnant women, all mothers, and all women everywhere. The risks of surgery are not felt only by the women who have cesareans, but by our society as a whole. We owe those women the access to knowledge and the availability of information and support.”
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that the cesarean rate in 2007 is the highest ever reported in the U.S., with a rate of 32 percent, up 53 percent from 1996. The most significant increase is among women under 25, up 57% since 2000.
“This report confirms the alarming trend affecting all age and ethnic groups of childbearing women,” said Desirre Andrews, President of ICAN. “With every state showing an increase of cesarean deliveries, this concerns all women across the United States today.”
In honor of Cesarean Awareness Month 2010,the ICAN blog will post stories from real women (and their families) who know first-hand the consequences of a 32% cesarean rate. Each day they are posting at least one birth story submitted by these women. Prepare to be moved (hint: grab a box of Kleenex)! You can also follow the posted stories on ICAN Blog’s Facebook page.
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