Caesarean Section Births (C-section)
Why is this important?
Caesarean section delivery is the most common surgical procedure in the United States. A Caesarean section may become medically necessary for the safety of the expectant mother and her child. Some of the reasons to have a C-section delivery include the baby is in a bottom first (breech) or sideways (transverse) position or is not moving down the birth canal properly during the labor process.
While Caesarean sections are relatively low risk, they do involve an incision in the abdomen or belly and may have more discomfort, a longer recovery time and are more expensive than a vaginal birth. Some hospitals may have a higher C-section birth rate because they have specialists for high-risk pregnancies on their staff, such as at York Hospital and Gettysburg Hospital. It is important to realize that the more surgeries a woman has, the greater the risk of surgical complications.
How WellSpan Compares
Last year, there were close to 3,000 deliveries at York Hospital and Gettysburg Hospital. The following graph shows the percentage of deliveries that were Caesarean section births.
Unit of Measurement:
Percentage
A lower score is better than a higher score.
What we are doing to improve our performance.
On a national level, Caesarean section rates have been increasing. WellSpan is less than the national average on Caesarean section rates.