Report: Longer labor leads to fewer C-sections

New Labor Guidelines

 

Pregnant women, take note: Your labor may last a little longer, thanks to a new set of guidelines from The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. The recommendations are aimed at reducing the number of unnecessary C-sections performed each year — and, in particular, preventing the birth of a woman’s first baby by cesarean section.

Nationally, about 1 in 3 women give birth by cesarean section. In our region, the C-section rates range from 18 to 53 percent, with many hospitals reporting rates close to the national average.

Very often, women who have their first baby by C-section end up having the procedure for subsequent births.