Sunday, January 11, 2009

N & O Article on C-Section Births

From a recent article in the news and observer:

"A Caesarean section is a major operation in which an incision is made in the mother's abdomen and uterus to delivery the baby. The root of the word is hard to pinpoint, but lore traces it to Julius Caesar, although he was almost certainly born naturally because his mother lived well beyond childbirth. In his day, a C-section was generally attempted only when the mother was dying.

INCIDENCE: In North Carolina, the rate of Caesarean sections has risen about a percentage point a year, from 26.8 percent in 2002 to 31.2 percent in 2007. About 41,000 North Carolina babies were born via C-section in 2007.

COST: The average cost for an uncomplicated C-section delivery is $7,735, compared with $4,993 for typical vaginal delivery, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina reports.

HOSPITAL STAY: On average, a woman stays in the hospital 3.4 days for an uncomplicated C-section delivery, compared with 2.1 days for a vaginal delivery, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality."

No comments: