St. Agnes c-section rate?

sparklydragon · January 2013

Hi everyone!! I am new here (both to this forum and to MD in general) and I hope this is the right place to post. I just found out the C-section rate at St. Agnes is 40%. At 32 weeks pregnant, this worries me. I am going to the Columbia Women's OBGYN group, but now I am considering switching because I don't want to be pressured into a c-section...

Has anyone delivered through Columbia Women's OBGYN at St. agnes and had a positive experience? The reviews i'm seeing on google aren't very encouraging. Any rec's on what doctor to switch to in Howard County/Anne Arundel area?

mdharris29 · January 2013

Somethings to look at with C-Section rates is do they have specialized care that the surrounding hospitals do not. GBMC has a high C-Section rate, but they have a really good high risk ward that many women choose to use. It many not be a "pressure" thing. Talk to your doctor, your doctor will be the one to recommend the C-section. Makes sure you are clear about what you want in a delivery and be open and honesty with your OB.

BillysGrl27 · January 2013

mdharris29:
Somethings to look at with C-Section rates is do they have specialized care that the surrounding hospitals do not. GBMC has a high C-Section rate, but they have a really good high risk ward that many women choose to use. It many not be a "pressure" thing. Talk to your doctor, your doctor will be the one to recommend the C-section. Makes sure you are clear about what you want in a delivery and be open and honesty with your OB.

This.

FWIW, both women I know who have had babies at St. Agnes had c-sections and then repeats with babies 2 and 3.

pantsarella · January 2013

I personally switched from Columbia Women's Group because I didn't want to deliver at St. Agnes. We live maybe 4 miles from Howard County General and 15 from St. Agnes. DH also knows a bunch of people at Howard County through his job. I moved to John's Hopkins on Steven's Forest Rd. They've been fantastic so far.

BunintheOven311 · January 2013

Honestly I would check with your Doctor...it's generally them who preassure-not the hospital!

sparklydragon · January 2013

Yeah, I will give them a call tomorrow. As some others have said, it might be a good idea to get their percentages for low-risk, first time mothers. Thanks for the insights!

SnoopyLuv · January 2013

BunintheOven311:
Honestly I would check with your Doctor...it's generally them who preassure-not the hospital!

Exactly this. it's more the practice's rate than the hospital. Hospitals in and around urban areas will almost always have higher c-section rates because of the populations they serve. Poorer women, on average, have more c-sections and riskier pre-term births which may need inductions that lead to c-sections.

I personally don't want to deliver at St. Agnes because they are a Catholic hospital and I know I want my tubes tied with the next one. I've heard nothing but good things about Howard County General for deliveries. Signature and Johns Hopkins OB/GYN practices get good reviews, too.

lauranne · January 2013

I am not familiar with that hospital. If you do not want a c/s, educate yourself. Talk to your doctor. Often times hospitals will pressure women into c/s for things that are a totally normal part of labor, such as baby's heart rate dropping.

I had a VBAC with my second child, and it was successful in part due to the fact that I educated myself and made my intentions very well known to my doctors. However, I was offered a c/s several times during my labor (contrax stalled, heartrate dropped).

anonsouthernbell · February 2013

I have heard some questionable things about their postpartum practices ( separation of babies from mom, etc). Have you looked into a midwife group? Kathy Sloan ( or is it Slone) out of Mercy and the midwives at special begiinings are good places to start.

meliz015 · February 2013

I delivered at St Agnes with my 1st and will soon again with #2. I go to the women's group and do not feel like I have to worry about a c section any more than I would with any other Doctor or at any other hospital. I also had a wonderful experience wit the post partum care and kept my baby in my room the entire time.

snoopy5512 · February 2013

I know this is late, and not sure if you will see it, but I had my LO at St. Agnes. I was induced and started from O. I did have a csection, but they let me go as long as I wanted and as long as was safe for my LO. They didn't push me. However, my OB wanted to, but in the end, the docs on staff there were wonderful. I was pushed for over 3 hours and was in labor for 2 full days. Finally at almost the 3rd day, I asked for the csection.

Just food for thought.

St. Agnes c-section rate?

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