Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
CESAREAN section has been an integral part of obstetrics ever since the revolutionary article of Sänger1in 1882, in which he directed attention to the necessity of suturing the uterine incision. In the ensuing years the operation has been repeatedly modified to improve its safety. As safety has increased, so too has the range of problems that cesarean section is used to solve, to a degree that some consider to be a cause for concern.2In 1970, about 195,000 cesarean sections were performed in US hospitals, an incidence of about 5.5%; in 1978, there were 510,000 women who had abdominal deliveries, accounting for 15.2% of hospital deliveries.3The figures continue to rise (Fig 1), but the indications for performing the operation are so broad that it is unreasonable to anticipate any major increase in the immediate future. Indeed, in a few areas the indications may become more
David N. Danforth (Fri,) studied this question.