Some women and birthing people have complications during their pregnancy. And for them, a C-section is the best and safest way to have their baby. But did you know that 1 out of 2 C-Sections aren't needed?
Healthy, first-time pregnant women and birthing people have the highest chance of having a C-section they don't need. And, once you have one C-section, there's a 90% chance that you'll have a C-section with your next baby.
Some hospitals do more unnecessary C-sections than other hospitals. One reason is that some hospitals want your labor to go faster than it’s naturally going. This could lead to a C-section that you don’t need.
Another reason that some hospitals are doing more C-sections is because of new technology. For example, when you’re in labor, you might use a machine called a Fetal Heart Rate Monitor. This machine checks your baby’s heart rate while you’re in labor. But, it might give false alarms. And, this could also lead to a C-section that you don’t need.
Talk to your doctor, nurse, and healthcare team. Tell them you don’t want a C-section unless you or your baby really need it.