Since Dr. Marchbein doesn't seem to know what the C-section rate is at
the hospital(s) where he practices, I attached an article that seemed
helpful. The information is a bit dated, but seems better than no
information at all.
Additionally, there was a very informal survey (and a very interesting
discussion) on epidurals held on obgyn-l. Check out the obgy-l archives
on Sept 25, 1997. Look for a post by rjwooley entitled "re: epidural
survey."
--
Emma
Copyright 1996 The Hearst Corporation
The Times Union (Albany, NY)
September 5, 1996, Thursday, THREE STAR EDITION
SECTION: CAPITAL REGION, Pg. B2
LENGTH: 361 words
HEADLINE: Region's C-section rate too high
BYLINE: JANE GOTTLIEB; Staff writer
HIGHLIGHT:
Numbers are below the state average, though
BODY:
ALBANY -- Doctors in the area that takes in
the Capital Region perform the fewest Cesarean
sections in the state, but will need to bring the
number down significantly to meet federal goals.
A study released Wednesday by a private research firm
mirrors nationwide data suggesting C-sections are
performed in excess, and far more often on privately
insured women than the Medicaid patients most likely
to need them.
The surgery raises risk of infection and injury to
internal organs. The American Insurance Association
of America found in 1991 that a vaginal birth cost
$ 4,720; C-sections, $ 8,826.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
wants doctors to reduce them to 15 percent by 2000.
A study of 41 states by the Public Citizen Health
Research Group found the procedures skyrocketed
from less than 5 percent in the early 1970s to 24 percent
in 1988, the last year looked at.
''When they were doing about 5 percent C-sections,
they were probably doing too few. When they started
doing more they saw a better outcome and started
doing even more,'' said Mary Gabay, a researcher
with Public Citizen Health, a consumer organization
formed by Ralph Nader. ''It got to the point where they
were doing them for indications that were probably
not necessary.''
In the 17-county area that includes the Capital
Region, 20 percent of expectant mothersdelivered
by C-section in 1994, compared to a statewide
average of 23 percent, according to HealthShare
Technology, the Massachusetts software company
that conducted the New York study. The state
Health Department said that rate has dropped
slightly to 21 percent in 1995.
HealthShare's figures, gleaned from Health
Department data, placed Albany, Schenectady,
Saratoga and Rensselaer counties in a 17-county
region stretching from Columbia to Hamilton counties.
In New York, Long Island women were most
likely to deliver by C-section, at 27 percent, with
the Bronx posting the lowest rate, at 19 percent,
the study said. Only one in five Medicaid mothers
had C-sections, compared to 26 percent for those
with other ways of paying for them.
AL6 0080 960906 N S 0905960072 00003400
LOAD-DATE: September 6, 1996
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