Cesarean-Section Rate Statistic Essay

Cesarean-Section Rate Statistic
Name
Institution
Due Date
Cesarean-Section Rate Statistic
The rate of cesarean sections being done in the world has been on the rise. According to the CDC, in the U.S., the number of vaginal deliveries as of 2021 is 2,558,882. On the other hand, the number of cesarean births in the U.S. is 1,186,397 (2021). The C-section number accounts for a whopping 31.7% (2021). This number is quite high considering the rate of cesarean births in the U.S. in 1965 stood at a meager 4.5 percent (Childbirth Connection, 2016). The steep ascent has raised some questions that are yet to get an answer. However, there have been debates and conversations started with an aim to offer answers as to why women appear to prefer cesarean section births. Well, Childbirth Connection does offer a few facts on the above, and it also forms the gist of this analysis.
What was the reason for the research that was performed or for the data being collected?
The research that was performed by Childbirth Connection sought to establish why the rate of cesarean section births continues to rise. As already indicated, this number has been on an upward trend, and it appears that it is unlikely to go down. In trying to establish the reasons for these numbers, Childbirth Connection sought to not only dispense the myths about the high rate of cesarean section births but also provide answers to why the cesarean section rate is high.
Childbirth Connection provides several reasons to justify the high rate of cesarean section births. The article offers reasons like the “low priority of enhancing women’s own abilities to give birth,” the “side effects of common labor interventions,” and “refusal to offer the informed choice of vaginal birth,” among others. The article presents a balanced take while ensuring that it sticks to its main course.
What was the source of the data presented?
The data presented in the article comes from the National Vital Statistics Reports by the CDC. These statistics were presented in 2015 and represented 99.71% of all births in 2014 (Hamilton et al., 2015).
In 2014, Hamilton et al. (2015) report that cesarean delivery dropped to about 32.2%, which is still high but lower than the number presented by the CDC for 2021. Apparently, there was a downward trend for all races, with non-Hispanic white women showing a decline of 2%, non-Hispanic black showcasing a drop of 1%, while the Hispanic race showcased a drop of 1%. Even though the rate for American Indians or Alaska Native did not change, the overall total was affected by the drop in the other races.
What types of descriptive statistics and graphical representations of data were used?
In the article by Childbirth Connection, there were graphical representations of the data that was used in the article. However, descriptive statistics were used to help paint a clearer picture of cesarean section birth rates in the United States.
First of all, it is crucial to note that there are four types of descriptive statistics applicable in research papers. These include measures of frequency, measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion or variation, and measures of position. But, in the article, only the measures of frequency type were used. Typically, this measure is represented or showcased by count, frequency, or percent. Such statistics are used to show the frequency or regularity of the occurrence of an event or phenomenon. The usage of this type of descriptive statistic is when trying to showcase how oft...