User blog comment:Maxroxy342/bella giving birth was so gross/@comment-4986151-20120226225432/@comment-1642927-20120227040128

LaL, most times a C-section is required is if they labor has progressed so long that the mother is physically exhausted and can no longer push. Certainly if the mother wished to continue to do it without a C-section the doctors will try, but at that point a C-section is more than likely. But if there is an emergency which threatens mother and/or child they might act and do a C-section even without her consent, but that's rare.

TT, things do go wrong sometimes -- I can't quote any particular numbers -- but mortality rates have certainly dropped over the years.