The impact of cesarean birth on subsequent fertility

Abstract

Purpose of review Recently, the rate of cesarean delivery has increased to 25-30% of all births, the highest rate ever reported in the USA. Primary cesarean deliveries, especially elective procedures, mainly contribute to this increase. Currently, controversy concerning elective cesarean delivery is an area of growing debate. Women should be well informed about the benefits and risks of on-demand cesarean delivery. This may be problematic, however, due to the limited current scientific data on the benefits and risks. One of the issues causing debate is the association between cesarean section and subsequent infertility. In the present review, we aim to analyze the evidence for the impact of cesarean delivery on subsequent fertility.