The rate last year stood at 29.1 percent of all births, "up from 27.5 percent in 2003 and 20.7 in 1996. The increase is attributed to fears of malpractice lawsuits if a vaginal delivery goes wrong, the preferences of mothers and physicians, and the risks of attempting vaginal births after Caesareans." (Mike Knobbe, AP/Washington Post, Nov. 15). We've been on the case for a long while: see Aug. 4, OL Nov. 29, 2004, and many others.