QuickStats: Rate of Cesarean Delivery, by Maternal Prepregnancy Body Mass Index Category — United States, 2020

Summary

A data story from the National Center for Health Statistics

Author: Isabelle Horon, DrPH

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In 2020, 31.8% of live births were to women who had a cesarean delivery.

The rate of cesarean delivery was lowest for women who were underweight before pregnancy (20.7%); the rate rose steadily as BMI increased to obesity class III (52.3%).

One quarter (25.1%) of women of normal weight had a cesarean delivery.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7048a7.htm

Sources

National Vital Statistics System, Natality file. https://wonder.cdc.gov/natality-expanded-current.html.

Defining adult overweight and obesity. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult-obesity-facts/index.html