In the United States...

• 30.2% of all babies are born via cesarean surgery *
  
  
• 41% of mothers get induced
  
  
• 76% of mothers have epidurals
  
  
• 94% of mothers have electronic fetal heart monitoring
  
  
• 85% of mothers are connected to an IV line during labor
  
  
• 25% of mothers have an episiotomy
  
  
• 57% of mothers who give birth vaginally are on
  their backs while giving birth
  
  
• 57% of mothers with a previous cesarean were denied a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean)
  
  
• 15% of mothers were permitted to eat during labor
  
  
• 2% of mothers who received care practices that promote normal birth and are endorsed by Lamaze International
  

The figures above (except for the cesarean rate) are taken from Childbirth Connections’ “Listening to Mothers Survey 2” conducted in collaboration with the Harris Group. For more details on the report go to http://www.childbirthconnection.com/article.asp?ck=10401

* Center for Disease Control, 2005 preliminary data

Around the world...

• Each minute a woman dies from complications of
  pregnancy and childbirth.
  
  
• Over 500,000 maternal deaths occur each year around the world, the most in sub-Saharan Africa, followed by south-central Asia.

source: Maternal Mortality in 2000: Estimates Developed by WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA

For more global information on maternal health and mortality, visit the following Web sites:
www.who.int/reproductive-health/MNBH/
www.whiteribbonalliance.org/

Want more information?

For a look at “Birth Misconceptions: Myth and Fact”
check out:
www.birthingthefuture.com/AllAboutBirth/
birthMythFact.php

To read about childbirth from the American College of Obstetricans and Gynecologist, go to their web site at:
www.acog.com