Cesarean Deliveries in Puerto Rico Surpass 50%, Hitting Record High

The surge, attributed to the island's healthcare crisis and fear of vaginal birth, exceeds the World Health Organization's recommended rate.

Cesarean deliveries in Puerto Rico have surged to over 50%, compared to 32% on the U.S. mainland.
The surge is attributed to various factors including the island's crumbling healthcare system, fear of vaginal birth, and an increase in in vitro fertilizations leading to more twins and thus more cesareans.
More than a dozen delivery rooms have closed in Puerto Rico in the past decade due to doctors moving to the U.S. mainland and a record drop in births.
The World Health Organization recommends a cesarean rate of between 10% to 15%, noting that once the rate surpasses 10%, there is no evidence that mortality rates improve.
For the U.S. as a whole, the cesarean delivery rate has been rising, accounting for 32.2% of births in 2022, up slightly from 32.1% the year before.