Cesarean delivery for low-risk pregnancies is generally associated with worse health outcomes for infants and mothers. The interpretation of this correlation, however, is confounded by potential selectivity in the choice of birth mode. We use birth records from California, merged with hospital...

Motivated by wide cross-sectional variations in intensity of care that are unrelated to patient outcomes, researchers and policymakers commonly claim that healthcare providers waste considerable re- sources, engaging in so-called “flat-of-the-curve (FOTC) medicine.” A key yet elusive...

Cesarean delivery for low-risk pregnancies is generally associated with worse health outcomes for infants and mothers. The interpretation of this correlation, however, is confounded by potential selectivity in the choice of birth mode. We use birth records from California, merged with hospital...