There are a lot of rumors that float around about what predicts the need for a cesarean section or c-section. One of those has to do with the size of a woman's shoe. Does a woman's shoe size predict the need for a cesarean section?
The truth is no, shoe size does not predict the need for cesarean section. Supposedly the size of a shoe would tell a doctor or midwife how large the pelvic opening was or the size of a woman's pelvis in general. But there was no correlation. There is no way that shoe size predicts the probability of c-section or that of a vaginal birth.
If a woman is worried about the size of her pelvis it is important to remember that the baby does a really good job of fitting by allowing its head to mold through the pelvis. So if your doctor or midwife is suggesting a cesarean simply based on your shoe size, it's best for mom and baby to request a trial of labor to see how well baby fits. Labor is the only way to find this out for sure.
Sources:
Maternal height, shoe size, and outcome of labour in white
primigravidas: a prospective anthropometric study. BMJ. 1988 Aug
20-27;297(6647):515-7.
The relationship between shoe size and mode of delivery. Midwifery
Today Childbirth Educ. 1997 Spring;(41):70-1.
