42% of UK births are c-sections

[searchinghere]

Is anyone else surprised at this statistic? I’m sure it was only something like 20% when my now-teen was born.

Although I had noticed how so many of my friends/family members/colleagues having babies recently all seem to have had cesareans.

It looks as though the shift will only continue so potentially c-section will exceed 50% of births and be the more common mode of birth in a few years.

I think it’s really interesting! Will there be drive to try and push numbers down and increase vaginal births again? Or will it eventually become standard for most women to just book in for an elective section as standard and ‘attempting natural’ will be seen as a more unusual choice like home birth is currently.

Key Comparisons:
Recovery: Vaginal delivery allows for a quicker return to daily activities (typically 24-48 hour hospital stay), whereas C-sections involve major abdominal surgery with a longer, more painful recovery period.
Baby's Health: Babies born vaginally have a lower risk of respiratory problems because the birth process helps clear lung fluid. Vaginal birth also exposes the infant to beneficial maternal bacteria, which helps build their immune system.
Risks: C-sections carry higher risks of infection, excessive blood loss, and blood clots for the mother.
Long-Term Factors: Vaginal delivery reduces the risk of pelvic floor issues like incontinence. C-sections may increase the risk of future pregnancy complications, such as placenta accreta.
PubMed

Why are you concerned? It is not any of your business really.

Don’t be ridiculous, I never said it was painless and risk-free. What a batshit response. Your contribution to this thread has been bizarre to say the least - you seem to be taking the upward trend in c-section % of births very, very personally. Do you have a problem with women having more choice?

Tbf she's not being naive and I dont think it matters whether or not she's had a baby, she can still give an opinion on how she wants to give birth.
My sections and recoverys were a brisk walk in the park for reference and most of my friends felt brutalised and left for dead in the vaginal park

@Crushed23 When they don't appear to be making informed choice then yes. You sound very young and a little ill informed if I may say so? How old are you?

@Bababear987 It's a bit like giving parenting advice when you haven't got any children 😀

What a load of bollocks. You try pushing 10lb 5oz out and come back to me.

The slight increased risk of complications in subsequent pregnancies is completely irrelevant to those of us only planning to have one child. (I suppose you’re going to patronise me now @everychildmatters and tell me that HOW CAN I KNOW I only want want child, I’m not EVEN PREGNANT yet). 😂

This is extremely judgemental, you think someone is young and ill informed because they prefer section over vaginal birth?
You know how many hoops you have to jump through to get a section. I was very well informed and my consultant agreed with my decision.
My reasons were due to anxiety, fear of tears, instrumental use, emergency section, tears, incontinence. I actually was able to provide the consultant with the statistics at the hospital I gave birth at, I am from a medical background and in my mid 30s. So I (like everyone else) who chooses a section doesnt do it on a whim.

@Crushed23 No, but I will say you have failed to look at the rest of the evidence and just highlighted the one fact rather than consider it as a whole.

I’m not giving anyone advice? I’m simply stating my preferences and what I will be opting for if/when I have a baby. And being thankful that more and more women have that choice now.

Sorry it upsets you so much. 🤷‍♀️

That's partly my fault. I've had 5 vaginal births, and I tell every pregnant woman I know to push for an elective c-section.

How is knowing whether you want a section or vaginal birth the same as parenting children?
It's a medic procedure either way with risks, I've always known i wanted a section and I was right, even before I had my children

Similar experience.

I had 3 under 2 and didn't find my c-section recovery to be any more difficult than my vaginal recovery.

From my experience. I had a vaginal birth ( baby 33 weeks and died at 2 weeks). Many years later I requested a section for a number of reasons which included baby's head being large and me feeling frightened. Was told to 'see how it goes' by consultant and after attempting vaginal birth with mention of forceps had emergency section as baby got stuck.Consultant actually apologised for the complete shit show it was. For my 3rd ( many years later) I had a section...no quibbling.Loads of reasons a woman chooses a section.

@SouthLondonMum22 What about the practical elements such as driving? Not the be all and end all of course, but rather limiting.

I don't have a car and rarely drive so it didn't make a difference to me from that aspect. Though even if I did usually drive daily, I can't imagine making a different decision knowing that vaginal births don't guarantee an immediate recovery where driving is possible either.

My sections were pretty much painless. I didn't drive at the time because I was a late learner but given how little pain I was in, I couldn't see why it wind have been a problem at a couple of weeks, and that's being in the cautious side. I was out and about daily from day 3. It was absolutely fine. Total walk in the park for me.

Oh and although I didn't drive, I was tandem slinging my toddler and newborn (toddler in back, baby on front) to take them to baby groups on the bus within about 3 weeks.

I think women should be allowed to have their baby any way they want provided the baby is safe and the Mum is informed properly.

I had a horrendously traumatic emergency C-section first time round and was determined not to have another section if I could. Had three vBACS after baby number 1. In the same way I would have been gutted for someone to tell me I had to have more C-sections (for no good medical reason) I am sure women feel the same about being told they have to have a vaginal birth and should absolutely be given the option.

on a side note, having experienced both, my personal experience was the recovery from a section was brutal and hats off to anyone that gets through it

This is really nuanced and I think there's 'good' reasons for the increase (we're potentially better at identifying risk factors earlier in pregnancy or within labour that point towards a c-section being lower-risk) and 'bad' reasons (women scarred by or scared of traumatic birth experiences and poor labour care that increases risk of EMCS).

In my own experience I narrowly avoided an EMCS with my first birth, only because no theatre was available. Labour had stalled and baby's heart rate suddenly plunged. I strongly feel labour stalled because of the way the it was managed (e.g. I wasn't allowed to control the position I was birthing in because I was hooked to a monitor) and I think it would have been a better outcome if I'd had a better supported more 'natural' birth. But equally monitoring and intervention at the end probably saved the baby's life.

My second I had a ELCS which was a result of specific risk factors in the pregnancy. On balance I think this probably the right decision but I feel I was given very little information or advice to inform it and my previous brush with a traumatic birth no doubt played a part in my thinking (whereas if I'd had a positive birth experience I might have weighed the risks a little differently).

Good thing most of them probably couldn't care less whether an internet random "agrees with their decision" then, isn't it?

there was a long thread on here about a year or two ago, with a number of posters making weirdly judgy comments (like this) about women who had had elective c sections.

I don't understand why anyone would care about how other women gave birth. It is really nothing to do with you.

I had to have an emergency C-section with my first after a failed induction. It was over 40 hours after I had been induced, my baby was 9lb 4 and back to back, the epidural failed, bay was distressed and I was in such a state after that I had to be put on a drip straight away. With my second child I developed gestational diabetes even though I wasn’t carrying any extra weight (told it’s more common if your first baby is bigger) and I was so worried about him and having another awful induction that I opted for an elective c section, I did used to feel a bit judged about it.

I’m the last person to scream ‘misogyny’, but I really can’t think of any other reason to have such strong views about women having choice over the birth of their baby. The upward trend in c-section % seems to have deeply upset some people - they’re not just intrigued/surprised, or sharing their experience, there’s exuding actual outrage, some of it thinly disguised as “concern”.

What a bizarre comment. The pain and recovery after a c section is absolutely awful. Friends who have had a vaginal birth would have had much opportunity to attend a "party" than I would have done in the 6 weeks after my birth even without being able to schedule it (in my trust you're only told when a few days before anyway). My c section was an emergency (and terrifying as we were sprinted to the theatre) but your comment is patronizing and ignorant suggesting women schedule major surgery to attend a "party"

Especially when the same people almost always have strong views about choice when it comes to home births, not having an epidural, declining an induction etc.