The Childbirth Connection (formerly The Maternity Center Association) of New York City has unveiled their new booklet "What Every Pregnant Woman Needs to Know About Cesarean Section" in April 2004. Finally, women have a way to be truly "informed" before "consenting" or getting talked into a cesarean section!

Initiated after the ACOG Ethics Committee Opinion publicized during Fall 2003 (which said it is okay for OBs to perform cesarean sections for no medical reason), the booklet has been endorsed by many organizations, including Citizens for Midwifery.

Like other Childbirth Connection projects, the booklet looks thoroughly at the evidence, while at the same time being easily readable and accessible. The text provides a synthesis of virtually ALL the research about cesareans, providing women with information on the risks and benefits of cesarean sections, short term and long term, for mother and for baby. Fully informed, women can then make up their own minds (and question their doctors). In addition, the booklet includes information about what women can do to lower their chances of ending up with a cesarean section.

The booklet is available free online as a .pdf file, along with a complete bibliography, description of how Childbirth Connection went about this project, and evidence tables showing the results of studies on which the booklet is based.

Find the booklet and additional information at The Childbirth Connection website.

This is well worth printing out!