The REDUCE Campaign: Research and Education to Decrease Unnecessary Cesarean Sections

ACNM News Releases

• Midwives Credited with Reducing C-Section Rates at New Jersey Hospital (March 31, 2005)
• Midwives Call on Congress to Examine C-Section Rate (February 7, 2005)
• Avoiding First C-Section Should be Priority, New Research Indicates (November 14, 2004)
• Women's Health Care Professionals Issue Warning About Cesarean Section on Demand (November 19, 2003)
• Cesarean Rates Hit All-time High, Midwives Sound Alarm (January 14, 2003)
• ACNM Calls for Definitive VBAC Study (July 17, 2001)
• American Women Not Getting The Whole Story on Cesarean Sections (September 1, 2000)

News & Commentaries:

• July 18, 2007: BBC News: Breech Birth Women 'Choice Call'
  
• July 16, 2007: HealthDay: "Soaring C-Section Rate Troubles Doctors"
  
• October 4, 2005: Fauquier Times-Democrat reports: "Elective c-sections on the increase."
  
• October 4, 2005: The Daily Star reports: "Some choose to have c-section."
  
• October 4, 2005: The Asbury Park Press reports: "The VBAC debate:The numbers of vaginal births after prior C-sections are diminishing, despite success stories like that of Hagit Morgan..."
  
• September 2, 2005: Women's eNews reports: "Caesarean section, in which a baby is delivered by abdominal surgery, has increased fivefold in the past 30 years, prompting concern among health advocates who say vaginal delivery is in many cases a healthier option."  Read the article here.
  
• August 24, 2005: USA Today published a front-page story on the ongoing VBAC crisis. 
  
• July 15, 2005:  New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum released a report last week which showed that the percentage of cesarean sections, or c-sections, performed at public and private city hospitals are, in some cases, twice the recommended average; at one hospital, nearly 40 percent of all deliveries are performed via c-section.  Read more the Public Advocate's news release here, and the report is here.
• Feb/Mar 2005: The Top 10 Reasons Elective Cesarean Section Should Be on the Decline by ACNM Executive Director Deanne Williams, ACNM executive Director
• C-Section Rate at 27%, according to recently released birth statistics from the CDC.
• Number of Patient Choice C-Sections Rises 20%, Says HealthGrades Hospital Obstetric Quality Study (July 2003)

Articles of Interest:

• Jamois, Tonya. Unkindest cut? Yes. Daily News. December 11, 2004.
• Hamilton, Carey. Utahns Have Fewer Choices in Birthing: Trend: Hospitals Are Turning Away from Vaginal Births after Caesarean Deliveries. The Salt Lake Tribune. December 5, 2004.
• Grady, Denise. Repeat Caesareans Becoming Harder to Avoid. New York Times: On The Web. November 29, 2004.
• Babiarz, Liz. FMH Halts Birthing Procedure: Prior Caesarean Rules Out Natural Delivery. FrederickNewsPostOnline.com.  October 6, 2004.
• Insurance company decision limits women's choices for birth.  KFOR.com. August 11, 2004.
• Barnes, Jennette. Protesters Assail Policy on C-sections. The Standard Times. May 28, 2004.
• Rule Change Needed to Allow Women Their Birthing Choices. Portsmouth Herald. January 7, 2005