Addressing the Increased Cesarean Birth Rate in the United States

Teen birth rates vary widely across counties in the United States. in this study, we examine whether the religious composition of a county is correlated with the rate of teen childbearing using both a traditional moral communities approach and a “decomposed” version of that framework. Utilizing 2000 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States Census Bureau, and the Religious Congregation and Membership Survey, we find that the total percentage of religious adherents in a county is not significantly correlated with the teen birth rate. However, when we decompose the Christian population into major denominational groupings, we find the percentage of evangelical Protestants in a county is positively associated with the teen birth rate while the percentage of Catholics is negatively associated with teen childbearing. Possible explanations for the association between religious context and teen birth rates are discussed, as well as their policy and research implications.

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The Sex Ratio and the Out-of-Wedlock Birth Rate in the United States during World War II

International Journal of Social Science Studies ◽

10.11114/ijsss.v1i2.155 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Robert E. McCormick ◽

Melissa M. Yeoh ◽

Mason S. Gerety

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

World War Ii ◽

Sex Ratio ◽

Birth Rate ◽

The United States ◽

World War

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Seasonal Depression and Conception

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1997.85.1.286 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 85 (1) ◽

pp. 286-286

Author(s):

David Lester

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

United States Of America ◽

Birth Rate ◽

The United States ◽

Conception Rate ◽

Seasonal Depression

The monthly suicide race was associated with the estimated monthly conception rate in the United States of America in 1980, not with the monthly birth rate.

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What Do Women Want? Consent for the Use of Electronic Fetal Monitoring

International Journal of Childbirth ◽

10.1891/ijcbirth-d-20-00044 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 145-153

Author(s):

Sonya Dal Cin ◽

Lisa Kane Low ◽

Denise Lillvis ◽

Megan Masten ◽

Raymond De Vries

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Fetal Monitoring ◽

Healthcare Setting ◽

Professional Associations ◽

The United States ◽

Cesarean Birth ◽

Electronic Fetal Monitoring ◽

Risk Patients

BACKGROUNDGuidelines published by professional associations of midwives, obstetricians, and nurses in the United States recommend against using continuous cardiotocography (CTG) in low-risk patients. In the United States, CTG or electronic fetal/uterine monitoring (EFM) rather than auscultation with a fetoscope or Pinard horn is the norm. Interpretation of the fetal heart rate (FHR) and uterine activity (UA) tracings provided by continuous EFM may be associated with the decision for a cesarean birth. Typically, consent is not sought in the decision about type of monitoring. No studies were identified where women's attitudes about the need to consent to the type of fetal monitoring used during labor have been explored. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to examine women's attitudes about the use of EFM in a healthcare setting.METHODSWe asked a sample of women aged 18–50 years to respond to one of three monitoringscenarios. The scenarios were used to distinguish between attitudes about monitoring in general, monitoring the health of a mother in labor, and monitoring the health of the fetus during labor. Wemeasured their level of interest in being monitored and their opinions about whether healthcare providers should be required to obtain consent for the monitoring described in the scenario.RESULTSInterest in receiving monitoring (across all three scenarios) was moderate, with the highest level of interest in monitoring the fetus during labor and the least interest in monitoring a general health context. Across all scenarios, 82% of respondents believed that practitioners should obtain consent for monitoring, 14% were unsure, and 4% said there should not be a requirement for consent. While low (6%), the percentage responding that consent was not needed was highest in monitoring a fetus in labor.CONCLUSIONSWomen in our study expressed a strong preference for the opportunity to consent to the use of monitoring regardless of the healthcare scenario. There is findings suggest the need for further research exploring what women do and do not know about CTG and what their informed performance are a pressing need to rethink the role of a pressing need to rethink the role of shared decision-making and informed consent about the type of monitoring use during labor.

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ANNUAL SUMMARY OF VITAL STATISTICS—1965

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.38.6.1063 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 38 (6) ◽

pp. 1063-1067

Author(s):

Myron E. Wegman

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Birth Rate ◽

Crude Birth Rate ◽

The United States ◽

Vital Statistics ◽

Fertility Rate ◽

Downward Trend ◽

United States Population ◽

First Time ◽

Number Of Births

A CONTINUED downward trend for births, slightly upward for marriages, and about the same rate as last year for deaths characterize the provisional vital statistics of the United States for 1965 (Table 1). Despite the falling birth rate almost 2,000,000 persons were added to the United States population through the excess of births over deaths. Births in 1965 were down about 7% from 1964, bringing the total number, estimated at 3,767,000, below 4,000,000 for the first time in 12 years. The number of births was the lowest since 1951, giving a crude birth rate of 19.4 births per 1,000 population and a fertility rate of 96.7.

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Why Is the U.S. Preterm Birth Rate So Much Higher Than the Rates in Canada, Great Britain, and Western Europe?

International Journal of Health Services ◽

10.1177/0020731418786360 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 622-640 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Janet M. Bronstein ◽

Martha S. Wingate ◽

Anne E. Brisendine

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Birth Rate ◽

Western Europe ◽

Developed Countries ◽

The United States ◽

Multiple Gestation ◽

High Risk Behaviors ◽

Welfare Policies ◽

Preterm Birth Rate

The portion of newborns delivered before term is considerably higher in the United States than in other developed countries. We compare the array of risk exposures and protective factors common to women across national settings, using national, regional, and international databases, review articles, and research reports. We find that U.S. women have higher rates of obesity, heart disease, and poor health status than women in other countries. This is in part because more U.S. women are exposed to the stresses of racism and income disparity than women in other national settings, and stress loads are known to disrupt physiological functions. Pregnant women in the United States are not at higher risk for preterm birth because of older maternal age or engagement in high-risk behaviors. However, to a greater extent than in other national settings, they are younger and their pregnancies are unintended. Higher rates of multiple gestation pregnancies, possibly related to assisted reproduction, are also a factor in higher preterm birth rates. Reproductive policies that support intentional childbearing and social welfare policies that reduce the stress of income insecurity can be modeled from those in place in other national settings to address at least some of the elevated U.S. preterm birth rate.

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