Iowa Cesarean Rates by Hospital, 2009

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Data from the Iowa Department of Public Health show that 11,868 of the 39,212 births in 2009 were by cesarean section, or 30.2%. 7,068 of the cesareans were first cesareans, while 4,800 were repeat cesareans.

Iowa’s VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) rate in 2009 was 7.8%, down from a rate of 8.6% in 2008.

Counts of 3 or fewer are marked as “<3” for patient confidentiality.

	# C/S	TOTAL BIRTHS	C/S RATE
Wright Medical Center	100	209	47.8%
Horn Memorial Hospital	34	73	46.6%
Boone County Hospital	77	166	46.4%
Van Buren County Hospital	16	38	42.1%
Keokuk Area Hospital	89	213	41.8%
Skiff Medical Center	96	231	41.6%
Sanford Hospital Rock Rapids	14	35	40.0%
Waverly Health Center	96	241	39.8%
Davis County Hospital	15	38	39.5%
Shenandoah Medical Center	50	129	38.8%
Ottumwa Regional Health Center	275	715	38.5%
Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa	363	944	38.5%
Greene County Medical Center	18	48	37.5%
Osceola Community Hospital, Inc	12	32	37.5%
Stewart Memorial Community Hospital	28	75	37.3%
Mercy Medical Center - Centerville	38	102	37.3%
Myrtue Medical Center	36	98	36.7%
Cass County Memorial Hospital	51	140	36.4%
Grinnell Regional Medical Center	61	169	36.1%
Orange City Health System	85	236	36.0%
Jennie Edmundson Hospital	150	419	35.8%
Floyd County Medical Center	30	84	35.7%
Hamilton Hospital	46	131	35.1%
St. Anthony Regional Hospital	129	370	34.9%
Crawford County Memorial Hospital	43	124	34.7%
Lakes Regional Healthcare	59	172	34.3%
Manning Regional Healthcare Center	12	35	34.3%
Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines	1707	5040	33.9%
The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics	627	1853	33.8%
Regional Medical Center	48	142	33.8%
Palmer Lutheran Health Center	36	108	33.3%
Fort Madison Community Hospital	101	309	32.7%
Kossuth Regional Health Center	31	96	32.3%
Marshalltown Medical and Surgical Center	191	594	32.2%
Spencer Hospital	83	261	31.8%
Palo Alto County Health System	32	102	31.4%
St. Luke’s Health System, Inc	668	2134	31.3%
Ellsworth Municipal Hospital	28	90	31.1%
Iowa Methodist Medical Center	1072	3460	31.0%
Trinity Muscatine	108	349	30.9%
Iowa Lutheran Hospital	190	615	30.9%
Mercy Medical Center	269	872	30.8%
Mercy Medical Center - Dubuque	262	868	30.2%
Floyd Valley Hospital	34	113	30.1%
Sanford Sheldon Medical Center	39	131	29.8%
Guttenberg Municipal Hospital	11	37	29.7%
Trinity at Terrace Park	131	443	29.6%
Buena Vista Regional Medical Center	83	281	29.5%
St. Luke’s Hospital	785	2662	29.5%
Genesis Medical Center	701	2382	29.4%
Washington County Hospital and Clinics	37	126	29.4%
Burgess Health Center	14	49	28.6%
Pella Regional Health Center	99	352	28.1%
Broadlawns Medical Center	87	312	27.9%
Allen Health System	274	1000	27.4%
Trinity Regional Medical Center	146	537	27.2%
Knoxville Hospital & Clinics	17	64	26.6%
Alegent Hlth Mercy Hsp-C Blffs	188	714	26.3%
Henry County Health Center	32	123	26.0%
Lucas County Health Center	20	79	25.3%
Great River Medical Center	148	592	25.0%
Covenant Medical Center	385	1543	25.0%
Mercy Medical Center - Sioux City	108	443	24.4%
Greater Regional Medical Center	51	212	24.1%
Mahaska Hospital	51	214	23.8%
Hegg Memorial Health Center	23	99	23.2%
Mary Greeley Medical Center	267	1163	23.0%
Jackson County Regional Health Ctr	15	66	22.7%
The Finley Hospital	160	706	22.7%
Montgomery County Memorial Hospital	23	104	22.1%
Mercy Medical Center - Clinton	114	520	21.9%
Winneshiek Medical Center	58	266	21.8%
Cherokee Regional Medical Center	30	141	21.3%
Veteran’s Memorial Hospital	20	96	20.8%
Sioux Center Community Hospital/Health Center	34	180	18.9%
Mercy Iowa City	174	1086	16.0%
Wayne County Hospital	16	102	15.7%
Regional Health Services of Howard County	<3	67	N/A
Mitchell County Regional Health Center	<3	10	N/A
Mercy Medical Center-West Lakes	<3	37	N/A
	11,851	39,212	30.2%

		# of	# of	TOTAL	C/S	PRIMARY	REPEAT
	VBAC	PRIMARY	REPEAT	C/S	RATE	RATE	RATE
Wright Medical Center	0	57	43	100	47.8%	57.0%	43.0%
Horn Memorial Hospital	0	26	8	34	46.6%	76.5%	23.5%
Boone County Hospital	<3	54	23	77	46.4%	70.1%	29.9%
Van Buren County Hospital	0	8	8	16	42.1%	50.0%	50.0%
Keokuk Area Hospital	4	60	29	89	41.8%	67.4%	32.6%
Skiff Medical Center	0	59	37	96	41.6%	61.5%	38.5%
Sanford Hospital Rock Rapids	0	6	8	14	40.0%	42.9%	57.1%
Waverly Health Center	0	56	40	96	39.8%	58.3%	41.7%
Davis County Hospital	0	10	5	15	39.5%	66.7%	33.3%
Shenandoah Medical Center	0	32	18	50	38.8%	64.0%	36.0%
Ottumwa Regional Health Center	0	157	118	275	38.5%	57.1%	42.9%
Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa	<3	208	155	363	38.5%	57.3%	42.7%
Greene County Medical Center	0	10	8	18	37.5%	55.6%	44.4%
Osceola Community Hospital, Inc	0	7	5	12	37.5%	58.3%	41.7%
Stewart Memorial Community Hospital	0	19	9	28	37.3%	67.9%	32.1%
Mercy Medical Center - Centerville	0	31	7	38	37.3%	81.6%	18.4%
Myrtue Medical Center	0	15	21	36	36.7%	41.7%	58.3%
Cass County Memorial Hospital	<3	25	26	51	36.4%	49.0%	51.0%
Grinnell Regional Medical Center	<3	37	24	61	36.1%	60.7%	39.3%
Orange City Health System	0	64	21	85	36.0%	75.3%	24.7%
Jennie Edmundson Hospital	0	90	60	150	35.8%	60.0%	40.0%
Floyd County Medical Center	0	20	10	30	35.7%	66.7%	33.3%
Hamilton Hospital	0	16	30	46	35.1%	34.8%	65.2%
St. Anthony Regional Hospital	<3	62	67	129	34.9%	48.1%	51.9%
Crawford County Memorial Hospital	0	25	18	43	34.7%	58.1%	41.9%
Lakes Regional Healthcare	0	31	28	59	34.3%	52.5%	47.5%
Manning Regional Healthcare Center	0	6	6	12	34.3%	50.0%	50.0%
Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines	50	1080	627	1707	33.9%	63.3%	36.7%
The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics	78	411	216	627	33.8%	65.6%	34.4%
Regional Medical Center	0	26	22	48	33.8%	54.2%	45.8%
Palmer Lutheran Health Center	<3	18	18	36	33.3%	50.0%	50.0%
Fort Madison Community Hospital	0	59	42	101	32.7%	58.4%	41.6%
Kossuth Regional Health Center	0	17	14	31	32.3%	54.8%	45.2%
Marshalltown Medical and Surgical Center	0	107	84	191	32.2%	56.0%	44.0%
Spencer Hospital	0	45	38	83	31.8%	54.2%	45.8%
Palo Alto County Health System	0	17	15	32	31.4%	53.1%	46.9%
St. Luke’s Health System, Inc	7	338	330	668	31.3%	50.6%	49.4%
Ellsworth Municipal Hospital	0	17	11	28	31.1%	60.7%	39.3%
Iowa Methodist Medical Center	37	666	406	1072	31.0%	62.1%	37.9%
Trinity Muscatine	0	61	47	108	30.9%	56.5%	43.5%
Iowa Lutheran Hospital	8	112	78	190	30.9%	58.9%	41.1%
Mercy Medical Center	5	185	84	269	30.8%	68.8%	31.2%
Mercy Medical Center - Dubuque	18	156	106	262	30.2%	59.5%	40.5%
Floyd Valley Hospital	0	15	19	34	30.1%	44.1%	55.9%
Sanford Sheldon Medical Center	<3	24	15	39	29.8%	61.5%	38.5%
Guttenberg Municipal Hospital	0	7	4	11	29.7%	63.6%	36.4%
Trinity at Terrace Park	9	67	64	131	29.6%	51.1%	48.9%
Buena Vista Regional Medical Center	0	45	38	83	29.5%	54.2%	45.8%
St. Luke’s Hospital	37	512	273	785	29.5%	65.2%	34.8%
Genesis Medical Center	26	394	307	701	29.4%	56.2%	43.8%
Washington County Hospital and Clinics	0	19	18	37	29.4%	51.4%	48.6%
Burgess Health Center	0	8	6	14	28.6%	57.1%	42.9%
Pella Regional Health Center	5	55	44	99	28.1%	55.6%	44.4%
Broadlawns Medical Center	<3	35	52	87	27.9%	40.2%	59.8%
Allen Health System	11	153	121	274	27.4%	55.8%	44.2%
Trinity Regional Medical Center	12	82	64	146	27.2%	56.2%	43.8%
Knoxville Hospital & Clinics	0	9	8	17	26.6%	52.9%	47.1%
Alegent Hlth Mercy Hsp-C Blffs	5	115	73	188	26.3%	61.2%	38.8%
Henry County Health Center	0	15	17	32	26.0%	46.9%	53.1%
Lucas County Health Center	5	10	10	20	25.3%	50.0%	50.0%
Great River Medical Center	<3	102	46	148	25.0%	68.9%	31.1%
Covenant Medical Center	36	226	159	385	25.0%	58.7%	41.3%
Mercy Medical Center - Sioux City	0	65	43	108	24.4%	60.2%	39.8%
Greater Regional Medical Center	0	30	21	51	24.1%	58.8%	41.2%
Mahaska Hospital	0	24	27	51	23.8%	47.1%	52.9%
Hegg Memorial Health Center	0	13	10	23	23.2%	56.5%	43.5%
Mary Greeley Medical Center	<3	169	98	267	23.0%	63.3%	36.7%
Jackson County Regional Health Ctr	0	11	4	15	22.7%	73.3%	26.7%
The Finley Hospital	19	94	66	160	22.7%	58.8%	41.3%
Montgomery County Memorial Hospital	0	15	8	23	22.1%	65.2%	34.8%
Mercy Medical Center - Clinton	<3	55	59	114	21.9%	48.2%	51.8%
Winneshiek Medical Center	<3	33	25	58	21.8%	56.9%	43.1%
Cherokee Regional Medical Center	0	15	15	30	21.3%	50.0%	50.0%
Veteran’s Memorial Hospital	0	12	8	20	20.8%	60.0%	40.0%
Sioux Center Community Hospital/Health Center	0	17	17	34	18.9%	50.0%	50.0%
Mercy Iowa City	35	91	83	174	16.0%	52.3%	47.7%
Wayne County Hospital	0	8	8	16	15.7%	50.0%	50.0%
Regional Health Services of Howard County	0	13	<3	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Mitchell County Regional Health Center	0	4	<3	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Mercy Medical Center-West Lakes	0	<3	<3	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
	407	7068	4800	11851	30.2%	59.6%	40.5%

SOURCE: Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Statistics

Special thanks to Kelly Fischer of ICAN of Northeast Iowa.

Comments

[Beth]

Do you have C-sect rates by hospital for Kansas or Colorado?

[Jill]

Hi Beth,

No, not yet.

Jill

[Augusta]

Look at Mercy Iowa's. Very interesting. Over 1000 births, yet a low c-section rate. Anybody know why?

[Jenn H.]

I live in Iowa and had a homebirth in 2009. As for the Mercy Hospitals, I can only comment on the one near me, which is IC. It could be affected by the fact that there are quite a few family practice doctors that deliver babies there (perhaps they're more patient than OBs?). Also since University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is only a mile away from Mercy, I bet that most of the high-risk pregnancies (and therefore higher risk for a cs) end up at UIHC rather than Mercy.

[Allie Sakowicz]

Kind of unbelievable that only 407 women in the entire state of Iowa had a VBAC that year. Wow.

[Jeri Lynn Platt]

In 1991 I lived in Sioux Falls, SD when I became pregnant with my son, Travis. I previously had a unnecesarean with my daughter, Leora, and wanted a VBAC. The prospect of going to the hospital to deliver with a doctor was a sure surgery, so I searched for a midwife.

The closest one I found was and hour and a half away in Sioux Center, Iowa. I asked around and she came with great references. Her husband was the head Ob/Gyn at Sioux Center Community Hospital, where she practiced.

This (I thought at the time) was GREAT, in case 'anything went wrong'...that's the first problem...

As it turned out, she was awesome prenatally, but she could only do so much with her very limited power in that male dominated little hospital when it came down to the actual birth.

When after 24 hours my labor wasn't progressing as much as it 'should', her husband 'helped' make the decision to do a cesarean. The surgeon, a little nasty man, came in to bully - I mean TALK - to us about the fact that I signed a waiver about not accepting blood products. It wasn't religious. I just didn't want strange blood (this was 19 years ago-I still don't trust blood products). I knew it wouldn't come to that anyway, because my body was fine.

So the little man scolded me for that, and when I didn't cave, he said "Fine. Then I am going to cut you vertically." Mind you, he meant only on the OUTSIDE. He was going to butcher and scar me intentionally because I wouldn't do what he wanted me to!

He tried to tell me some bullshit about how he didn't want to have to worry that "the arteries near my incision might tear". Then he stood between my husband and me, with his back to me and told him, "Your wife is going to kill herself and your baby. You better talk to her".
My husband told him, "Good luck on changing her mind, Buddy".

He turned back to me and said, "If you will not rescind the blood waiver, I cannot do surgery on you". I stood my ground and told him, "No". He threw his hands in the air and yelled, "I'm going to have problems with you. I'm not doing the surgery!"

Everybody in the room looked at me, waiting for my response. My immediate (and typical of my truck-driver mouth) response was "GOOD! THEN GET THE F*CK OUT OF MY ROOM!!!!"

He left, and so did I. My midwife called Sioux Valley Hospital back in Sioux Falls and spoke with a doctor who said "Send her here". I was then transported my ambulance back to the city where I lived.

Although I did end up with another cesarean (which was really a combination of what had happened at the other hospital and what I know now to be my own unresolved issues at the time), the hospital was so much more progressive. They allowed my husband to take pictures of the entire procedure. As soon as Travis was out of me, he was placed on my chest to begin bonding. They honored my wishes to have him with me the entire hospital stay, no drops, no needles, no nursery, no bottles, no circumcision and Dad was with him when they cleaned him up.

There was really no pressure. In fact, after three days with little sleep, one of the nurses begged me to let her take the baby so I could rest. I finally agreed to TWO hours and only after she promised to hold him. She held him the entire time. My husband checked a few times and there he was, in her arms while she puttered around the nursery!

I probably should have gone to this hospital in the first place. There were no practicing midwives within a hundred miles. I learned the valuable lesson, that having a midwife does not guarantee a VBAC. There was so much more I needed to do to prepare myself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually for my dream birth.

I did do it. We moved to South Florida. It's a whole nother long story, but basically, my 2nd son, Sky was born 20 months after Travis, unattended, at home, left intact, and he was 9lbs 7oz!!! My biggest yet, after a RADIOLOGIST decided my pelvis was 'too small' to pass my daughter through six years before...

BTW, according to the ICAN website, Sioux Canter Medical Center has BANNED VBAC... I wonder if that was because of me...