C-section rates vary widely by hospital, but women often can't see the data

Roughly one in 10 pregnant women in the US undergoes a cesarean section that experts say could have been avoided. One of the strongest predictors of her risk of a medically unnecessary C-section isn't her age, health, or pregnancy complications — it's the C-section rate at the hospital where she delivers.

One of the best ways to avert an unnecessary C-section is to choose a hospital with low rates for the procedure, experts say. Yet pregnant women looking for this data may come up short.

Only 11 states make hospital C-section rates easily accessible on public websites, Business Insider found. Most states either say hospital C-section rates are confidential or release data only in response to formal public records or data requests. Some hospitals voluntarily disclose their C-section rates