There are several reasons for the rising Caesarean section rate in the U.S., including increased use of drugs to induce labor, a tendency to give up on labor too soon, and a reluctance to allow women with previous Caesareans to give birth vaginally.
Nearly 1 in 3 U.S. births now occurs by Caesarean section, and the operations have been increasing steadily since 1996.
What’s more, according to the New York Times:
“... 44 percent of the women who were trying vaginal delivery had their labor induced. When Caesareans were done after induction, half were performed before the woman’s cervix had dilated to six centimeters, ‘suggesting that clinical impatience may play a role,’ ... Full dilation is 10 centimeters”.