Investigating the high rates of C-sections

One in three babies are delivered by cesarean section in the U.S., the most common major surgery in this country. A new investigation by The New York Times finds that a widely-used fetal monitoring tool may be driving those high C-section rates, even though studies show the device is unreliable. 

Electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) tracks the baby’s heartbeat during labor and delivery to detect signs of distress. But decades of studies show it doesn’t improve outcomes for babies or moms. In fact, it may lead to more unnecessary C-sections, which carry their own risks for the mother, including risk of infection, longer recovery, and potential difficulties in future pregnancies. 

Journalist Sarah Kliff explains that hospitals continue to use EFMl because of fears of lawsuits and for business and efficiency reasons. In this episode, we’ll talk with Kliff about her new piece titled “The Worst Test in Medicine,” and about her reporting on the state of maternal health care in America. 

Guest:
Sarah Kliff – health policy reporter for The New York Times.