When Numbers Lie

I haven’t written in over a week and have reasons (excuses) but there is no reason to try and explain all the things going on right now.

I’ll get more consistent eventually…well probably not.  I will also in the near future post Taylor’s 6 year old blog and all, but today in the overwhelmed mood I am in you instead get a little rant.

This rant has nothing at all to do with why I’m overwhelmed by the way.  The rant is completely unrelated and the only reason it’s coming up is because I’m sitting here on my lunch thinking “I need to get my mind off of this, what can I do?” So I peruse facebook and found an article a friend posted and it got me thinking…

So that’s what you get, what I’m thinking. Don’t judge me (but you probably still will; it’s in our nature).

The article was about the fact that an umbilical cord wrapped around a baby’s neck rarely causes complications if the baby is had the old fashioned way.

What it is saying (with supporting statistics) is that there is such a small chance of their being a complication during a “regular” (regular being non-C section) birth even if the umbilical cord is around the babies neck even though it is believed to be an issue.

My frustration with statistics in general regarding childbirth is how they come up with them.  How there is a movement of people that are very anti-C Section and don’t look at the whole picture.

Please know I am an advocate for trying to deliver a baby that way our bodies were made to do it, but I also recognize and appreciate that people are/were smart enough to come up with ways to make this easier and/or safer.

Think of it this way with me (note:  the statistics are MADE UP and NOT REAL)

For every 1000 babies born the “regular” way 250 have the umbilical cord around their neck.

For every 1000 babies where 250 have the umbilical cord only 1 actually causes death.

That doesn’t sound too bad right? I mean if you are that 1 it’s horrible, but statistically speaking 1 in a 1000 isn’t too bad.

Here is my problem, what about all the babies delivered via C Section?  That changes things and I feel like this fact is SO OFTEN left out.

Picture it this way…there are 1,500 babies that will be born today (again MADE UP and NOT REAL)

1,000 will be born the “regular” way

500 will be born via C-Section because the doctor noticed the umbilical cord was around the babies next and was concerned.

Because those 500 babies were not born the “regular” way you don’t know if they would have survived or not.

Doctors are (in some circumstances) suggesting C Sections because they are worried about the baby and/or mother.  This means the better doctors get at diagnosing or finding possible issues before baby is born and doing a C Section instead the number of “problems” occurring in “regular” birth are going down.

THIS ANNOYS ME!

Some people advocating that C Sections are horrible and you should not do them are posting statistics noting how little complications are occurring during “regular” birth.  In reality the low number of complications is more closely related to the fact doctors are finding issues and not allowing a “regular” birth to save the life of the mother and/or baby.

All that being said I think some doctors are being idiots and doing a C Section to fit it better to their schedule, or mom’s are asking for them because they want the baby to be or not to be born on a certain day.  That I do not support at all.  That’s ridiculous to me.

So before you assume your doctor is being pushy if he is suggesting a C Section I just ask that you hear him/her out and remember the “statistics” for having a “regular” birth most likely do not contain the C Sections that were done where the baby survived where he/she may not have if it was done the other way.

Rant Over.