I know 3 women who had C-sections in the last 3 months. 2 were because their blood pressure got a little high and so each was induced a week early and their labor was too long so they were given C-sections. The other was a premature birth.

I'm curious as to whether they were legitimally needed. Is it that bad for blood pressure to get a little high towards the end of a pregnancy? Neither woman's pressure was that high. And does it make a difference to induce a week early? Couldn't they have waited one more week to see if the woman naturally goes into labor? I'm just wondering, does anyone know?

Well, ultimately, how high is high? and they may have been looking at other things than BP.

It is very difficult to state if these c sections were merited from this point of view.

Most c sections are not merited, but with the increased risk from poor diet and general poor health before pregnancy you will have more incidents requiring c section.

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Well, one girl's BP was in the 130's. She's in her mid 20's. Both girls who got the C-sections for high BP did have poor diets, at least what I saw at work. The one who's BP was in the 130's started off really well and I was encouraging her but that only lasted a month or so and then right up to her due date she was eating a fast food breakfast almost every morning and eating poorly for lunch as well. The other one ate poorly the whole time (I also shared with this one about spacing out vaccinations but she said it was easier to get them all at once. Oh well.)

I guess I'm wondering why they are so quick to do C-sections overall. I'm wondering if since women are unhealthy and prone to premature birth they treat everyone the same and do a C-section at the slightest idea there might be even a hint of a problem. It seems they don't look at women as individually as they should, but I'm not sure. Or if it has anything to do with insurance?

I did find this as one reason:

Thats basically it, fear of lawsuits, cause the family and lawyer will say, why didn't you do everything you could to prevent this?

Many c sections are merited but only at about 5% if the prengnacy and labor and delivery are conducted properly. Parkland Hospital in Dallas Texas boasted one of the lowest c section rates in the nation at 13% at one point. They are staffed primarily by midwives and the 13% is really quite good as they deal with very poor pregnancy candidates and they also get much of what the local Lay Midwives screen out as being unsafe for home birth. They are driven by cost containment for most of their patients are medicaid or indigent as well as a fairly sound philosophy by their OB staff. In light of that they do quite well. Other hospitals range in the 20 to 25 percent and some up to 35% or so. Much of that will depend on the personal philosophy and practice of the OB department. There are a few hospitals that have a very low % Kaiser in San Francisco use to be one, and they did underwater births if the mom was interested. Dont know if Kaiser is still around as I don't really track this stuff anymore.

But the fact that prenatal vitamins contain less than a tenth of the amount of Vitamin D humans require is part of the problem.
Association between Vitamin D Deficiency and Primary Cesarean Section

We know perfectly well that in order to meet the mothers needs during pregnancy at least 4000iu/daily D3 is required at latitude 32N that implies further north, where vitamin D from sunlight isn't available every day of the year, more than 4000iu/daily will generally be necessary.
During lactation it takes 6400iu/daily to ensure breast milk is vitamin d replete.

There is good scientific evidence that low vitamin D status is responsible for increased incidence of
Gestational diabetes mellitus
Preeclampsia
Cesarean section,
Schizophrenia (and probably other brain disorders)
Bacterial vaginosis (which is also implicated in C Sections)

Bear in mind the cost of avoiding these outcomes and maintaining optimum 25(OH)D status is a mere Country Life, Vitamin D3, 5,000 IU, 200 Softgels $10.20 $18.36 a year per person. US readers will find Vitacost/Swansons cheaper but UK readers IHERB low shipping cost makes IHERB cheapest Introductory Code WAB666 saves $5 at IHERB. Don't spend more than �17 or UK customs adds VAT and UK Post Office applies a �8 ransom charge to collect the �3.50 tax.

A good reason to research hospitals and consider a midwife. When I delivered I felt like the staff was going through the motions of procedures they had done 1000's of times which was comforting in a way but also made me feel as if they had stopped thinking and learning and paying attention to individuals. I guess their hands are tied by the system.

This is interesting that there's a connection between low Vit D and C-Sections. Also about Vit D supplementation during lactation--I'll bet most don't consider that.

Actually, I think their hands are tied by their consciousness and their hearts....you know this when in the midst of their procedures an angel appears in a doctors coat or a nursing uniform. These are people who work in the dark and cast forth light and they turn a nightmare into a blessed awakening and although they are not found in abundance they are in every facility I have been in.