CDC Says Cesarean Triples Neonatal Death Risk
MacDorman, et al. analyzed national birth and death data for 5,762,037 live infants and 11,897 neonatal deaths, for the years 1998-2001. The purpose of the study was to examine the neonatal outcomes of primary cesarean delivery in women who had no other known complications or medical risk factors. The logical result of this examination would seem to be comparable neonatal mortality rates among cesarean and vaginally born infants. In fact, what the results show is that cesarean independently raises the risk of neonatal death by almost three-fold - .62 per 1000 deaths among vaginal births versus 1.77 per 1000 infant deaths among cesarean babies.
Even more astounding than the simple fact that cesarean section raises the risk of infant death - regardless of the reason the cesarean was performed - is that even when the researchers adjusted for sociodemographic, medical and congenital factors, and removed infants with APGARs under 4, the risk of death was only reduced "moderately". A stark difference in the death rates between cesarean born infants and vaginally born infants remained even with no medical explanation.
We aren't talking about babies dying from the few, rare complications that can arise in childbirth. We're talking about healthy, low-risk mothers electing for a primary cesarean section with no medical indication resulting in a nearly three times higher rate of death than those who have a vaginal birth.
According to Marian MacDorman, the CDC's study leader, "These findings should be of concern for clinicians and policymakers who are observing the rapid growth in the number of primary Caesareans to mothers without a medical indication."
While the findings of this research on cesarean and neonatal mortality were reported by major media outlets upon its release, publicity for the issue quickly waned. It is evident that care providers and mothers have continued to discount the disturbing results of the CDC study on neonatal mortality and cesarean, as the rate of surgical delivery has continued to climb to a record-breaking high of 31.8% in 2007, up from 31.1% in 2006.
The World Health Organization recommends no more than a 10% cesarean rate in developed countries, based upon research indicating more harm than good to both mothers and babies when the cesarean rate tops 15%. Until mothers and obstetricians start taking the risks of elective cesarean section seriously, we will likely continue to see tragic consequences of the interference of surgery in childbirth.
References:
MacDorman MF, Declercq E, Menacker F, Malloy MH.
Division of Vital Statistics, NationalCenter for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Hyattsville, Maryland20782, USA. Birth. 2006 Sep;33(3):175-82.
Published by Misha Safranski
Ms. Safranski is a freelance writer specializing in fetal/maternal safety, VBAC advocacy, and cesarean prevention issues, and also holds a position in Title Quality Assurance with Demand Media Studios. Ms. S... View profile
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22 Comments
Post a CommentWhen normal healthy mothers and babies are left alone(this includes the pregnant women herself)leaving nature to unfold as nature intends, and then when mother is allowing her body to work in its natural way the baby can be recieved with the respect and care they deserve.
Please note that I said,'normal and healthy'. If it's not broken don't 'fix it'. really really is the best policy.
Of course there are a whole slu of 'reasons' that medical person and mothers both 'meddle' when there truely is no medical need to meddle. When we start to decide when babies should be born or when we try to control the speed of labour, or when we restrict the freedom of movement or birthing potisions and instruments are 'needed', instead of letting nature takes its course we start a whole chain of events that almost never ever would have unfolded in the managed way they turned into.
Being a parent doesn't start after baby is born.It starts the when
(continued from below) They are where they are because they worked really hard to become good at what they do and I feel it is foolish to hire a doctor (hopefully after researching to be sure you found one you can trust) and then ignore something they say because you read an article on the internet.
That being said, very good study for the limitations that morality place and I hope that it will cause women who read it to do more research and talk to their doctors and make sure they are giving the best start possible to their babies.
I am of the mindset that no study involving humans can ever be believed wholeheartedly. In order to really think that c-sections cause babies to die, I would have to see a study in which they divided 1000 mothers randomly into 2 groups, forced one group to have c-sections no matter what and forced the other to attempt vaginal birth and if that failed to just wait to die.
Of course I'm not saying this is a good way to design the study either, but observing data without controlling it can only tell you so much. A mother might "elect" to have a c-section because of many factors that could also lesson a baby's chances for survival. We are getting tangled in cause and effect here.
I think the bottom line is that each doctor and mother pair needs to REALLY think about what is best for everyone and take their own personal situation into consideration.
Doctors don't just guess and check. They are where they are because they worked really hard to become good at what th
I'm glad I didn't have a C section!
*coffee* gee no surprised faces here....
Kaiti- I had a homebirth after a c-section%2C it was the most wonderful and empowering thing I%27ve ever done. you will not be disappointed.
Kaiti- I had a homebirth after a c-section, it was the most wonderful and empowering thing I've ever done. you will not be disappointed.
As I tell my children, c-sections used to be only for when there was no other way to get baby out now it is for many foolish and/or doctor caused reasons.
My first c-section was for failed induction leading to a host of complications (the usual scenerio), and my second was because no doctor or hospital in my area would allow me to VBAC. I'm 38 weeks pregnant with my third child and I'm laboring AT HOME! There's no way they are robbing me of what may be my final chance to experience REAL childbirth! It's so frustrating and angering. Thank you so much for this article!
And knowing the CDC and how they skew information in their favor, it's likely the babies are even MORE likely to die than they're telling us!
MacDorman's findings are fairly consistent with the results of the Hannah trial that looked at mortality rates for planned C/S for breech presentation and compared to similar women planning a normal birth. This study also concluded increased mortality associated with C/S.
In our comprehensive analysis of safety, aside from bad outcomes for the baby, let's keep in mind that C/S is associated with: 1) increased maternal mortality, 2) increased peripartum hysterectomy and 3) a large array of significant morbidity for mother and baby.
Is it any wonder that rates of midwife-led planned home birth is increasing?
Russ