Recent Trends in Cesarean Delivery in the United States

NCHS Data Brief
Number 35, March 2010
Recent Trends in Cesarean Delivery in the United States

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Key findings In 2007, the cesarean rate was the highest ever reported in the United States. Cesarean rates rose for women in all age groups in the last decade. Cesarean rates rose for women in all racial and ethnic groups from 1996 to 2007. Cesarean rates increased for infants of all gestational ages in the last decade. Cesarean rates varied widely by state. Summary Definitions Data source and methods About the authors References Suggested Citation PDF Version (856 KB)
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db35.pdf

Fay Menacker, Dr. P.H., and Brady E. Hamilton, Ph.D.



Key findings
Data from the Natality Data File, National Vital Statistics System

-The cesarean rate rose by 53% from 1996 to 2007, reaching 32%, the highest rate ever reported in the United States.
-From 1996 to 2007, the cesarean rate increased for mothers in all age and racial and Hispanic origin groups. The pace of the increase accelerated from 2000 to 2007.
-Cesarean rates also increased for infants at all gestational ages; from 1996 to 2006 preterm infants had the highest rates.
-Cesarean rates increased for births to mothers in all U.S. states, and by more than 70% in six states from 1996 to 2007.
-In 2007, nearly one-third (32%) of all births were cesarean deliveries (1). Although there are often clear clinical indications for a cesarean delivery, the short- and long-term benefits and risks for both mother and infant have been the subject of intense debate for over 25 years (2). Cesarean delivery involves major abdominal surgery, and is associated with higher rates of surgical complications and maternal rehospitalization, as well as with complications requiring neonatal intensive care unit admission (3–5). In addition to health and safety risks for mothers and newborns, hospital charges for a cesarean delivery are almost double those for a vaginal delivery, imposing significant costs (6).

This report shows trends in cesarean delivery since 1991, focusing on the period from 1996 to 2007 when cesarean rates began to rise following a decline in the early 1990s. Data for 2007 are preliminary and 2006 data are presented when preliminary 2007 data are not available (1,7).



Keywords: cesarean delivery, race and Hispanic origin, gestational age, state specific rates

In 2007, the cesarean rate was the highest ever reported in the United States.
There were 1.4 million cesarean births in 2007, representing approximately one-third of all births in the United States.

Following a decline in the early 1990s, the cesarean rate increased by 53% from 1996 to 2007, from 21% to an all-time high of 32% (Figure 1).

The number of cesarean births increased by 71% from 1996 (797,119) to 2007 (1,367,049).

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