6 things to know about having a C-section
Surgical deliveries account for about one-third of all births in the United States.
Jan, 2026
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Slide 1
About one in three births in the United States are cesarean deliveries, also called C-sections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). C-sections occur for a variety of reasons, ranging from the parent’s personal preference to the position of the fetus, to saving the life of both parent and baby.
Here’s what to know about this common surgery, in which delivery occurs via an incision in the abdomen and uterus.
Written byTaylor Lupo.
Medically reviewed byMark Arredondo, MD.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics: Method of Delivery. April 9 + 10
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics: Method of Delivery. April 9, 2024.
- Mayo Clinic. C-section. June 16, 2022.
- Nemours Kids Health. Cesarean Sections (C-Sections). June 2022.
- Mayo Clinic. General anesthesia. January 17, 2025.
- MedlinePlus. Cesarean Delivery. April 20, 2023.
- Cleveland Clinic. C-Section. August 14, 2022.
- Merck Manual Consumer Version. Cesarean Delivery. March 2024.
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. Keloid Scares: Overview. Last updated August 30, 2022.
- Mayo Clinic. Uterine incisions used during C-sections. Accessed September 18, 2023.
- Osterman MJK. Recent Trends in Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Delivery: United States, 2016-2018. NCHS Data Brief. 2020 Mar;(359):1-8.
- Bruno AM, Allshouse AA, Metz TD. Trends in Attempted and Successful Trial of Labor After Cesarean Delivery in the United States From 2010 to 2020. Obstet Gynecol. 2023 Jan 1;141(1):173-175.
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