Cesarean Delivery

There are two ways that a baby can be born. The most common way is through the mother's birth canal. This is known as vaginal birth. The other way is by means of incisions made in the mother's abdominal wall and her uterus (womb). This method is called cesarean delivery, or cesarean birth. In the United States, about one out of every five births is by the cesarean method, although this proportion varies depending upon the year, the region of the country, and some other factors. In some South American countries the cesarean delivery rate is as high as 50 percent or more.