A recently released report, HealthGrades Obstetrics and Gynecology in American Hospitals, from HealthGrades concluded that between 2002 and 2009 the C-section, or Cesarean section, rate in the United States rose from 27 percent of all single births to nearly 34 percent, which is an all-time high.  The highest rates of C-section were found in Florida, New Jersey and Texas.  The lowest rates were in Utah, Wisconsin and Colorado. Birth injuries may result from c-sections or emergency surgery.

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We previously reported on the dangers of cesarean section births and the unnecessary surgeries that jeopardize women's health, on our New York Personal Injury Attorney Blog.  We also told you how a study noted that 60 percent of studied hospitals were motivated by financial incentives to perform surgeries such as the C-section.

These high rates of C-sections show that many more mothers are facing high risks of child birth injuries in New York City and elsewhere throughout the country.  The report also looked into the quality of maternity and gynecological care.  The three-year study period looked at patient outcome data in hospitals in 19 different states.

"Women today have a wide array options when it comes to reproductive health and choosing a health care provider who aligns with their personal preferences," said Divya Cantor, MD, MBA and HealthGrades Senior Physician Consultant. "From pregnancy and childbirth to more serious interventions such as hysterectomy, surgeries to treat incontinence, ovarian and other cancers of the reproductive organs, women can optimize their chances for receiving the highest possible quality of care by researching and comparing the clinical outcomes of hospitals and doctors in their area."

The report concluded that of the 664,000 child births studied from 2007 to 2009, more than 33 percent of pregnant women underwent a C-section in the state of New York.  Approximately 66 percent of mother gave birth vaginally.

HealthgGrades' study concluded the following:

-Nearly 10 percent of women undergoing single live born deliveries experience an in-hospital complication.  If all hospitals were to perform as a 5-Star rated hospital in maternity care, more than 30 percent of these complications, or 141,869, could have been potentially prevented.

-9 percent of women undergoing gynecologic surgery experienced an in-hospital complication. Another 35 percent of these complications could potentially be prevented if all hospitals performed at the level of the best hospitals.

-The number of hysterectomies has decreased more than 30 percent since 2002.  They are still the most common gynecological procedure performed in hospitals, comprising nearly 80 percent of all the inpatient gynecologic surgeries.

-Florida was the state with the highest rate of C-section at 38.6 percent.  The lowest rate was found in Utah at 22.4 percent.

"The relative safety of the operation leads people to think it's as safe as vaginal birth," said Dr. A. Metin Gulmezoglu. "That's unlikely to be the case."

Oftentimes, women have a choice about where they will deliver. Whether you deliver vaginally or by Cesarean section (C-section), there are serious health concerns to Mom and baby.

These findings illustrate the large gap in the quality of care between top-performing and poor-performing hospitals.  This can oftentimes mean the difference between life and death or risk of serious complications for mommy and baby.  All mothers are urged to make an educated decision about where to have their baby and how to prepare for the best outcome.

Medical complications arising from substandard care or failure to properly manage the health of mother and child can result in the need for c-section or other emergency surgery. When injury to mother or child results, a medical malpractice attorney in New York should be consulted.