Among all countries that are part of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Turkey, followed by Korea, had the highest rate of Caesarean section births (or C-sections) in 2020. At that time, the rate of C-sections in Turkey was 584 per 1,000 live births. Among global regions, Latin America and the Caribbean had the highest percentage of births that were delivered by C-section, while West and Central Africa had the lowest rates of Cesarean section births.

Cesarean section costs

Cesarean sections are a form of birth where the baby is taken out through a surgical incision in the abdomen rather than a natural vaginal birth. The cost of a Cesarean section delivery varies globally. The United States has some of the highest costs globally for Cesarean section deliveries, while South Africa has some of the lowest costs. In the United States, C-sections are significantly more expensive than a delivery by vaginal birth.

High C-sections rates in the U.S.

While not the highest, the U.S. has a high C-section rate among OECD countries and very few of the hospitals are meeting national targets for the number of Cesarean sections performed. Over the past 20 years the C-section rate in the U.S. has gradually been increasing with more stable trends in the past few years. It has been reported that many of the C-sections performed in the U.S. are elective and not necessary. Often the risks of C-sections are greater than the benefits, when performed as an elective procedure.

This statistic depicts the percentage of births that were delivered via cesarean section worldwide in 2000 and 2015, by region. According to the data, Latin America and the Caribbean had the highest rate of cesarean sections in 2015 with 44.3 percent of births being delivered by c-section.

Cesarean section rates increased with increasing age of mother in the United Sates. In 2022, around 18.9 percent of mothers under the age of 20 gave birth via c-section, while the rate of cesarean delivery for mothers aged 40 to 54 was 47.7 percent. In the recorded time period, c-section rates for most age groups peaked in 2007 and has decreased slightly since then.

Mississippi leads the nation in cesarean section rates, with 38.5 percent of all live births delivered via C-section in 2022. This figure significantly surpasses the national average of 32.1 percent. The high prevalence of C-sections raises important questions about maternal health care and medical decision-making in different states. Age and ethnicity influence C-section rates Demographic factors play a crucial role in the likelihood of cesarean deliveries. Maternal age significantly impacts C-section rates, with mothers aged 40 to 54 experiencing a 47.7 percent rate compared to just 18.9 percent for those under 20. Additionally, ethnic disparities persist, with non-Hispanic Black women consistently having higher C-section rates than other groups. The gap between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White women has widened from 2 percent in 2007 to over 5 percent in 2022. Financial implications of C-sections The cost of cesarean deliveries varies widely depending on insurance status and location. In 2023, the national median cost for an insured, in-network C-section was 16,943 U.S. dollars. However, for uninsured patients or those using out-of-network services, the median charge more than doubled to 37,653 U.S. dollars. New Jersey topped the charts for both insured and uninsured C-section costs, with median values of 26,900 U.S. dollars and 52,500 U.S. dollars respectively.

In 2022, around 32.1 percent of all live births were delivered by cesarean section in the United States. The rate of c-section in the U.S. has been increasing since 1997 where it was 20.8 percent to a peak of 32.9 percent in 2009. C-section rate has since varied little and stayed around 32 percent.

Cesarean rates worldwide continue to increase and are projected to reach 28.5 percent by 2030 from 21.1 percent in 2018. In 2018, the highest rate of c-section was in the Latin America and the Caribbean region at nearly 43 percent. Yet the largest growth is projected for the region of Eastern Asia, where more than half of all childbirth occurs by c-section. As of 2021, this is already the case in four OECD countries.

From 1996 to 2022, cesarean delivery rates in the U.S. varied from one ethnicity to another, with non-Hispanic Black women having the highest rate of c-sections. The discrepancy between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White has increased from two percent in 2007 to over five percent in 2022.

According to a survey in 2023, about a quarter of women in the U.S. who had a cesarean section in the past six months said that they had a scheduled cesarean section due to previous c-section(s). On the other hand, over half of mothers reported having an emergency c-section, either before labor started (15 percent) or after labor started (39 percent). Only three percent reported their c-section being elective as in their own choice.

According to a U.S. hospital survey, the average nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex (NTSV) cesarean sections (c-sections) rate was 25.2 percent in 2022*. This is the c-section rate for low-risk first-time mothers and it did not meet the national target of 23.6 percent. Even higher is the rate of c-section among all live births in the U.S., standing at 32.1 percent in 2022 (which includes mothers of higher risks such as giving birth to multiples or having hypertension or diabetes).

In 2022, around 59 percent of all delivering mothers in the United States were overweight or obese. This statistic shows the rate of selected medical or health characteristics experienced by mothers during pregnancy/births in the United States in 2022.

This statistic depicts large U.S. hospitals with the highest Cesarean section (C-section) rates among first-time, low-risk mothers in the U.S. as of 2017. According to the data, South Miami Hospital in Miami, Florida had a C-section rate for first-time, low-risk mothers of around 51 percent. The targeted national average in the U.S. for such births is under 24 percent.

This statistic depicts large U.S. hospitals with the lowest Cesarean section (C-section) rates among first-time, low-risk mothers in the U.S. as of 2017. According to the data, Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, New York, had a C-section rate for first time, low-risk deliveries of around seven percent.

Among all U.S. states, Nebraska had the highest hospital-based Cesarean section delivery rate as of 2017, with 34 percent of births being delivered via Cesarean section. Cesarean section rates were calculated for first-time, low-risk mothers. Nebraska’s Cesarean section rate is significantly higher than the U.S. target. According to recent data, over half of U.S. hospitals have C-section delivery rates higher than the national U.S. targets.

Risks of Cesarean section

A Cesarean section (or C-section) is a surgical procedure for delivering babies in which a baby is delivered by being removed through the abdomen as opposed to being delivered vaginally. Most deaths due to childbirth in the U.S. are preventable. However, women that deliver via C-section are more prone to specific health risks including, infection, excessive bleeding, and damage to the bladder, kidneys and other internal organs. While cost may not directly affect health, the risk of financial troubles based on medical expenditures is also an issue with C-section deliveries. The U.S. has some of the highest costs globally for C-section deliveries.

High U.S. Cesarean section rates

Among all OECD countries the United States raked among the top five for highest rates of cesarean section deliveries. The number of C-sections performed in the U.S. has dramatically increased since 1997. Among mothers in the U.S., older women have higher rates of C-section delivery.

The cesarean delivery rate out of one thousand live births in Italy decreased considerably between 2005 and 2021. In fact, in 2005 the rate of C-sections performed out of 1,000 live births was equal to roughly 391, while by 2021 this figure reached an all-time low at around 323.3 procedures out of 1,000 live births. This statistic shows the cesarean delivery rate in Italy in selected years from 2005 to 2021 (per 1,000 live births).

The cost of giving birth through cesarean section in the United States varies significantly by state and insurance status. In 2023, the national median charge for a C-section delivery for those without insurance, or using out-of-network services, was 37,654 U.S. dollars, with New Jersey topping the list of the highest costs at 52,592 U.S. dollars.
Insurance impact on c-section costs Having insurance significantly reduces the financial burden of childbirth. The national median allowed value for insured, in-network C-sections was 16,943 U.S. dollars in 2023, less than half the cost for uninsured patients. Even with insurance, costs vary widely by state, with New Jersey again having the highest median allowed value at 26,900 U.S. dollars. The disparity between insured and uninsured costs underscores the importance of healthcare coverage for expectant mothers. C-section rates and reasons C-section rates in the United States remain higher than national targets. In 2022, the average C-section rate for low-risk first-time mothers was 25.2 percent, above the national target of 23.6 percent. Among all live births, the C-section rate was even higher, at 32.1 percent in 2022. A 2023 survey revealed that about a quarter of women who had C-sections in the past six months did so due to previous C-sections, while over half reported having emergency C-sections. (1448381, 1448748)

In 2018, the number of caesarean sections conducted in the United Kingdom remained nearly unchanged at around 208,711 surgeries. Nevertheless, 2018 still represents a peak in the number of caesarean sections in the United Kingdom.According to Eurostat, this includes the number of deliveries by caesarean section in general hospitals. Data on caesarean section include only inpatient cases, day cases are excluded.Find more statistics on other topics about the United Kingdom with key insights such as number of cataract surgeries conducted and number of hysterectomies conducted.

The number of caesarean sections conducted in Denmark increased by 223 surgeries (+1.82 percent) since the previous year. In total, the number of caesarean sections amounted to 12,467 surgeries in 2021. Over the observed period, the number of caesarean sections has been subject to fluctuation.According to Eurostat, this includes the number of deliveries by caesarean section in general hospitals. Data on caesarean section include only inpatient cases, day cases are excluded.Find more statistics on other topics about Denmark with key insights such as number of cataract surgeries conducted, number of hysterectomies conducted, number of hip replacments conducted, and number of total mastectomies conducted.

This statistic depicts the percentage of hospitals in the United States that are meeting or exceeding the nationally acceptable rate for Cesarean sections (c-section) among first-time, low-risk mothers as of 2017. According to the data, just 44 percent of U.S. hospitals are meeting the national target for c-sections. The current target for C-section births at U.S. hospitals to low-risk, first-time mothers is 23.9 percent. However, the actual average rate in the U.S., according to most recent data, is currently at 25.8 percent.

According to a U.S. hospital survey, less than half of U.S. hospitals are meeting the national target for cesarean sections (c-sections) in 2022. The current target for c-section births at U.S. hospitals of low-risk, first-time mothers is 23.6 percent. This is the Healthy People 2030 target of 23.6 percent for nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex (NTSV) cesarean birth rate, a standardized measure for ease of comparison between hospitals*. However, the actual average rate of NTSV c-section is currently at 25.2 percent. Still higher is the rate of c-section among all live births in the U.S. at 32.1 percent in 2022 (which includes mothers of higher risks such as giving birth to multiples).

This statistic shows the results of a survey about childbirth in China as of November 2018. During the survey period, 38 percent of Chinese respondents stated they had a childbirth delivered by caesarean section.