Who is more likely to have a cesarean
Age and race both track strongly with the rate.
First-time cesarean rates in 2024 rose steadily with age: 17.7% under age 20, 21.4% at 25 to 29, 26.9% at 35 to 39, and 34.5% at 40 and older.
Rates also differ by race and ethnicity. In 2024 the total cesarean rate was 37.5% among non-Hispanic Black women, 34.4% among Asian women, 32.1% among Hispanic women, 31.0% among non-Hispanic White women, and 29.8% among American Indian and Alaska Native women.
These gaps are not explained by medical risk alone. They reflect differences in where women deliver and how decisions get made. You are allowed to ask directly how these patterns apply at your own hospital.
Where this comes from:
271. Osterman MJK, Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Driscoll AK, Valenzuela CP. Births: final data for 2024. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2026;75(2):1-48.
272. Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Osterman MJK. Births in the United States, 2024. NCHS Data Brief. 2025;(535):1-8.
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