The Maryland Patient Safety Center is began a two year collaborative in July 2015 to reduce first time Cesarean sections (C-Sections). The rate of c-sections in the state of Maryland at the time was about 34%, slightly higher than the national average. While a c-section is appropriate in some medically necessary situations, it does increase risks to the mother and the infant. Women who have a c-section are 90% more likely to have a c-section with subsequent pregnancies. Research has shown that decreasing the rate of the first c-section can have a significant impact on decreasing the overall c-section rate.
