Documented causes of unneCesareans.

UNLABELLED: A recently coined term, unneCesareans, concisely describes the mode of delivery for 25% of low-risk first births in most Western countries. Evaluation of Cesarean Delivery, published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in 2000, showed a lack of evidence of improved medical outcomes with the widespread use of cesareans for low-risk, full-term primiparas. Therefore, the term "unnecessary" is appropriate in the sense of medical outcomes. Although the complete causality of this phenomenon has probably not been elucidated, eighteen causes for this common practice have been documented in published research.

CONCLUSIONS: UnneCesareans have multiple causes and therefore, a reverse in current trends is unlikely.