By Lauren Glassberg, NEW YORK (WABC), May 7, 2009
Recovery from a Caesarean section often takes longer than from natural childbirth. And with that in mind, two New York doctors are hoping to give more women a chance at delivering naturally and avoiding the C-section surgery.
According to recent statistics, the Caesarean rate shot up 46 percent between 1996 and 2006. And now, there are some mothers and doctors who are pushing for more babies to be delivered naturally.
Madeline Jowdy is up and out with her baby Mia, delivered nine days before. With her first child, Jowdy had a Caesarean. She says this go-round, the recovery is far easier.
And that’s one of the reasons she sought out Village Obstetrics, affiliated with St. Vincent’s Hospital. Doctors George Mussalli and Jaqueline Worth like to practice what they call minimally invasive obstetrics.
“We really let patients labor at their own pace,” Dr. Worth said.
And as a result, their rate of Caesareans is at 20 percent, compared to the national average of 31 percent. That 20 percent accounts for planned, medically necessary C-sections. But the rate is even lower, just 4 percent, for C-sections that result when a labor can’t continue.
The doctors say they avoid inducing when possible, and they even welcome assistance from midwives and doulas.
Madeline admits is was a long labor. And it wasn’t easy, but she says avoiding the surgery of a C-section was well worth it.
For more information on village obstetrics, check out VillageObstetrics.com/.
