April is Cesarean Awareness Month. The U.S. cesarean rate stands at 32.9%, but some states have rates of more than 40%. “Cesareans are far from the niche occurrence of yesteryear. Every woman in her childbearing years MUST sit up and take notice of this alarming and astonishing rate of surgical delivery,” says ICAN President Desirre Andrews. “The rising cesarean rate and the resulting consequences are not going to go away on their own,” says Andrews. “Now more than ever, women and babies need access to evidence-based care.”
Let us know: what are you doing, in small or big ways, to increase awareness about the cesarean epidemic and its consequences?
Sarah Fuerstenau says
For my Comp II class we had to write a paper on a national, local or personal topic that we wanted to address. I chose the VBAC debate. I addressed the medical community’s reasons for not allowing VBACs (i.e. ACOG policy, rise in malpractice lawsuits and insurance, and risk of uterine rupture) and then gave the counter-argument (i.e. ACOG encourages VBACs, legal matters should not affect medical decisions, and risk of uterine rupture being low). My classmates and professor were intrigued with the topic, and they were not at all aware that the Cesarean rate was so high. I was glad to inform them of the problem, and I hope to start an ICAN chapter in my area in the near future so I can make local moms aware of the problem as well.
blog says
What a great way to reach a broader audience. Thanks for sharing!
dc gloria says
Let us know: what are you doing, in small or big ways, to increase awareness about the cesarean epidemic and its consequences?
i do it in very small ways.
i share my 2 ubacs’ story with my family, siblings and my close friends and their family and of course with my ob! it was difficult for him to believe my ubac happened!
can you imagine what was going on inside his head after he knew about my ubacs? i don’t think he just keps it for himself lol!(to share it with his colleagues? hopefully!)
i also create a “blog” just to draw attention from vbac moms wanna be in my country indonesia though i do not blog daily.
i hope one day there will be an ican chapter in my area!
have a great conference and ican month!
viva c/s prevention, advocacy, recovery!
viva ican!
Csection Recovery Kit says
After my own emergency c-section I put my 20+ years of bodywork into the development of the Abdomend belly binders and c-section recovery massage guide. I did this because it became apparent that the ancient healing tool of binding is disappearing from our pharmaceutically based medical system.
Even though I am now in the business of providing products to women who have delivered by cesarean, our company blog carries many articles on the reasons behind the 1 in 3 cesarean birth rate and the health consequences of a cesarean for both mother and child, as well as general subjects on VBAC, childbirth and c-section recovery of course.
In this way we want to not only help women who have delivered by cesarean have a better recovery and do what is possible to avoid some of the longterm health problems like adhesions, but also offer an information resource about c-sections in general. I feel that information is power and an informed woman will know what questions to ask of her caregiver and what options she has available so she does not find herself birthing in an operating room because of medical interventions that so often have that result.
Csection Recovery Kit says
After my own emergency c-section I put my 20+ years of bodywork into the development of the Abdomend belly binders and c-section recovery massage guide. I did this because it became apparent that the ancient healing tool of binding is disappearing from our pharmaceutically based medical system.
Even though I am now in the business of providing products to women who have delivered by cesarean, our company blog carries many articles on the reasons behind the 1 in 3 cesarean birth rate and the health consequences of a cesarean for both mother and child, as well as general subjects on VBAC, childbirth and c-section recovery of course.
In this way we want to not only help women who have delivered by cesarean have a better recovery and do what is possible to avoid some of the longterm health problems like adhesions, but also offer an information resource about c-sections in general. I feel that information is power and an informed woman will know what questions to ask of her caregiver and what options she has available so she does not find herself birthing in an operating room because of medical interventions that so often have that result.
Beth says
I’m wearing my ribbon. I’m asking people close to me to wear ribbons, and making extras to keep in my diaper bag if anyone asks and is interested in wearing one, too.
I’ve changed my Facebook profile picture to a ribbon and am trying to post a relevant status update daily this month.
Little things, but hopefully it catches the attention of at least one person.
blog says
Wonderful work, everyone. Truly!
Nicole Eramian says
I am the chapter leader of our local ICAN chapter. In addition to our regular meeting, we are planning a fundraising/awareness raising event at the end of the month. I wrote a letter to city council and they approved a formal proclamation for cesarean awareness month and I have some posters up (one place when I handed one in, the guy was reading it and I heard him say “24%?!” (the c/s rate in our city)
I also wear my ribbon, and had the ribbon on FB (changed it to a pic of my grandma temporarily since she passed away yesterday, will change it back). I have a few blog posts in my head for the ICAN Canada page, I just have to type them out.