Compared with the countries you have listed, I'm not surprised.  However, when you look at most of Western Europe (UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain) we are much much higher then the other countries.  In addition, it should be noted that some of those countries listed, are only slightly higher then the US .  Then you have a country like Haiti with a 1.6% C rate!!  WOW!  Incredibly low. 

I do not believe this is because the women in the United States are higher risk women.  That seems absolutely ridiculous that the US would have an disproportionate level of high risk women or L&D's that go wrong.  The facts are, in most of those other countries home births are more prevalent and mid-wives are not shunned by the medical community.  (I know what I am talking about, my husband is Dutch and all his family lives in Holland.  We have a lot of family there as well as friends and friends throughout other Western European Countries who have children and have 'gone through the process'.  I'm not just talking about of my butt on this.)  Here in the US we have situations in which the AMA is trying to push for legislation to make homebirths illegal, women are often treated poorly if they have to go into a hospital after attempting a home birth, and mid-wives are seen as something from the dark ages.  Granted, there are exceptions.  SOME OBGYN's see mid-wives as a good option for non-risk patients.  However, it is not the norm. 

The fact of the matter is ... with a National C-section rate approaching 30% (which WAS 4.5% in 1965), and many individual hospitals well over 30%, the medical community seems to be allowing (for elective C's) or encouraging in some way or another women to have c-sections.  A c-section is major surgery with many risks.  And then there is the whole VBAC issue, which isn't even an option for some women because hospitals have BANNED it due to statements made by the AMA and College of Obstetrics regarding personnel that should be on hand at all times during a VBAC.  Even though these two organizations have also said a VBAC is less risky then a repeat C-section for most women. 

I am tired of medical personnel trying to tell everyone that the c-section rate isn't that bad here in the US.  IT IS!  Not to mention we also have a very high infant mortality rate or 6.3 per 1000 vs. most of Western Europe being well below that.  (I do my homework.)  It seems as if the medical community is trying to tell women 'you have no idea what you're doing when it comes to giving birth...so just sit back, lay down and we'll take care of everything for you.'

Don't get me wrong.... I think Doctors are wonderful, when they are needed.  However, it seems they like to control every little aspect instead of stepping in when it is necessary. 

That was eight years ago and I have noticed that doctors are inducing and then doing caesarians a lot more often now! It's too bad because it wasn't always that way here!!

Well, I did pick the US I know that at one point in time Brazil's c/s rate was at 50%, and showed no signs of slowing down. In the US we're on the same track unfortunately. When I started researching birth the c/s was climbing and at about 25% of births. Now not even a decade later it's hitting 30%. It being harder to VBAC in a hospital in the US is partly to blame. But I don't think women's bodies are changing (i.e. getting more incapable) that much and that fast to warrant the epidemic of c/s done.

I love how MamaTurtle put it. Women's bodies aren't getting more incapable. No one will deny that there are times and situations that necessitate a c-section; even Ina Mae Gaskin has had to have a very few transferred. Do we really need nearly 30%? Nope. I sincerely doubt it.

The cesarean rates from 2000 mean nothing in 2008. Even the most recent figures available, which I believe are from 2005, is too far away to use as data for today's discussions.

I was a c-section baby. I was coming out backwards and I had the u chord wrapped around my neck. I always feel a little bad when I see my mum's scars... but it saved me ! The US was actually my first guess... the other countries didn't seem to fit for me...

interesting post

That is interesting.  I was actually going to guess Cuba or China.  I wonder when the next statistics report will come out.

@NurseJenna - It's encouraging to hear that you've witnessed a lot of births without any intervention at your hospital.  I wish that hospital was in MD!

I was going to guess Italy (those laid back Europeans) or the US.

My sister lives in a very small midwestern town and the doctor is trying to convince her to induce or have a c-section. First it was because the baby was transverse, then she turned. Now it was because my sis is 5'1" and they think the baby is going to be too big for her. (A 5' woman at my church delivered a 10# baby last July with no problems.) They are really irritating me, but so far my sister is sticking by her guns and insisting she go naturally. Today at ultrasound they couldn't provide a good reason to go c-section, so they are going to let nature decide. I honestly think it's so the doctors can punch the clock. For some odd reason most babies there are born during tradidtional bank hours, Mon-Fri. So odd...

Great post! We need to get the word out to America and take back our lives. While medical advancements have dramatically decreased death related to birth for both women and infants, humanity has survived for thousands of years without medical intervention. Doctors just need to be available for emergencies. We need to have birthing facilities staffed by midwives and nurses with an on call doctor.

Boy how I wish someone would just overhaul the whole American healthcare system. Thanks for the post.

As with the other posters, I'm not overly suprised that the US has the lowest c-section rate of THAT group of countries.  Brazil is notorious for c-sections.  And because it's paid for by the gov. the tummy tucks that go along with them.  Being the lowest of that group really isn't anything to be proud of.

Now if we were close to Sweden or France, or even the good ole UK, THAT would be something to be suprised and happy by.  The UK has a c-section rate of about 25%, and the Royal College of Nurses says that's too hight and should be reduced to the WHO recommendations of 10-15% if births.                                                                                                                                           

C sections when they are necessary are no problem in my opinion.  Both myself and my younger sister were delivered via C section, because my mother was so small that both times we were too big to come out.  Also my mom was in labor for over 30 hours with me when they found out I was presenting with my shoulder (and THEN I was too big), and in the early 90s they wouldn't even allow women who had had one C section to have a vaginal birth.  And my mom still pushed for 16 hours before they told her to prep for surgery.

But people who opt for a C section for no medical purpose, in my opinion, should have thought harder about having children in the first place.  I personally think that the labor process, not just being a miraculous and beautiful and natural (albeit painful) event, prepares you for the strain of parenthood.  If you can go through labor, you can go through anything.  Even if you have an epidural. :)But yay for less C sections!  Go nature! 

I, also, don't think there is a problem when it comes to medically neccesary c-sections - but don't agree with the elective ones.

I think the main problem is that the medical field and government would like to take away the choice of not having a DOCTOR deliver babies. While I have not experienced it myself, I have had 2 close friends go through bad situations. One, her baby had a stoke while still in the uterus. They didn't know anything was wrong until after she was delivered. The baby lived about a month. Another one, she went for a check at about 7 1/2 months and that baby had died. Midwife or doctor, there is nothing anybody could have done in either or those situations. I know that is not always the case, but all too often it is just plain out of our hands.

We have too many people trying to play god today. Whether it be selecting the gender of your baby or choosing the day you have that baby...and many other things...we need to see that we are really not in control of any of it.

I was fortunate enough to have a doctor and hospital that still believes in natural childbirth, but the sad truth is that the 'trend' seems to be going the other way.

As for stats, yes, they are outdated by the time they come out. So don't wait for someone else to do your research for you...do it yourself.