Radical Doula

Crazy. Choices in Childbirth and the New Space for Women’s Health have partnered in collecting this data and getting it out into the media.

You can see a video, including a graphic about c-section rates broken down by borough, at NY1.

Choices in Childbirth has a pdf with all the stats. Just as an example here are the stats for just two of the hospitals in Manhattan. Each percentage represents the rates as they increased each year beginning in 2000 going to 2006.  

New York Downtown Hospital 11.1 % 13.5 % 13.3 % 14.2 % 18.4 % 18.8 % 21.6 %

Bellevue Hospital 18.4 % 18.5 % 19.8 % 20.9 % 22.6 % 25.2 % 27.8 %

Just as a friendly reminder, the World Health Organization recommends that the cesarean section rate for industrialized nations should not exceed 15%.

This is why NYC needs things like the New Space for Women’s Health:

Friends of the Birth Center announces the launch of the New Space for Women’s Health, a project to create a center for birth and wellness in New York City. We’re beginning a fresh dialogue with women about changing birth and women’s health care in our city. Join us in this important conversation as we plan a new beginning, in Chelsea, 2010.

Thanks to Rebecca for the link