1989 U.S. cesarean section rate steadies--VBAC rate rises to nearly one in five.

The 25 years of rising cesarean delivery rates in the United States may have finally run their course. In 1989 the rate of 23.8 cesareans per 100 deliveries was not significantly different from 24.7 in 1988, 24.4 in 1987, or 24.1 in 1986. The 1989 primary rate of 17.1 first cesareans per 100 women with no previous cesarean was also not significantly different from 17.5 for 1988, or 17.4 for 1987 and 1986. The percentage of vaginal births after cesarean section per 100 deliveries showed a remarkable rise between 1988 and 1989--from 12.6 percent in 1988 to 18.5 percent in 1989. Data are from the National Hospital Discharge Survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control.