Research findings should be carefully communicated to reduce stigma associated with caesarean birth
Presented without due care, research intended to help has the potential to cause harm—particularly in the vulnerable perinatal period, says Emma Rourke As rates of caesarean birth have increased over the past 30 years,1 so too has the number of women and birthing people experiencing what has been colloquially termed c-section guilt.2 The pervasive historical rhetoric that surrounds caesarean birth plays into this, with echoes of the “too posh to push” stigma lingering around planned (elective) procedures,3 and labels like “failure to progress” doled out in unplanned (emergency) situations.4 Compared with a “natural birth” or “normal vaginal delivery,” the language often used to describe caesarean birth inevitably implies that it is in some way unnatural and inferior. Against this cultural backdrop, studies seeking to quantify the risks and benefits of caesarean birth have attracted wider public interest. But presented badly, well intentioned and important research risks adding to the n
