Report That Nearly Half Of All Asian And Pacific Islander Mothers On Medi-Cal Give Birth By C-Section Raises Concerns
One of the reasons for the high rate could be poor communication between patient and provider — whether because of language or cultural barriers, discrimination or patients feeling like they don’t have a voice, advocates say.
The California Health Report:
Report Reveals High C-Section Rates For Asian And Pacific Islanders With Medi-Cal
Nearly half of all Asian and Pacific Islander mothers on Medi-Cal give birth by way of Cesarean section, a recent report found, a rate well above California’s statewide average. “Listening to Mothers in California,” a study released in September by the National Partnership for Women and Families, showed that 45 percent of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Medi-Cal patients delivered through C-section, compared to 33 percent of white women on Medi-Cal, and 27 percent of white women with private insurance. The C-section rates for API women on Medi-Cal are similar to that of African-American women throughout the state — 43 percent of African-American Medi-Cal patients and 46 percent of African-American women with private insurance had C-sections instead of a vaginal delivery. (Kandil, 10/17)