Waitemata District Health Board is auditing caesarean sections as the rate of births by this method reaches all time highs. The board is seeking to curb the numbers.
Just over 27% of births last year were c-sections at Waitakere and North Shore hospitals.
Obstetrics clinical director Sue Belgrave told Nine to Noon the rate has been climbing for many years.
She said the DHB is examining why and what can be changed.
She said the factors include women whose first birth was a caesarean, having later births that way.
Priorities may be ensuring that the first birth is not a caesarean and promoting women to have their second child as a vaginal birth.
While, it is important to get a balance, she said a vaginal birth costs about $2000 and a c-section up to $8000.
