Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Cesarean Deliveries, Outcomes, and Opportunities for Change in California

In many contexts, cesarean delivery has come to be regarded as the safer option, when in fact it has greater risks and c omplications than vaignal birth. Higher cesarean delivery rates have brought higher economic costs and greater health complications for motehr and baby, with little demonstrable benefit for the large majority of cases. Despite several decades of calls to action to reverse the trend, cesarean delivery rates have continued to rise.