Hospitals in China's biggest cities are reporting an increase in women choosing natural childbirth, reversing a decadeslong trend during the one-child policy in which cesarean sections were favored.

China's C-section rate is the highest in the world, with cesarean sections used in 47 percent of all births in 2013. The World Health Organization's recommended rate is less than 15 percent.

Limited to one child, especially in urban areas, women sought C-sections for their convenience and reduced risk to newborns, even though recovery times increased for mothers and surgery presented its own dangers. However, since the second-child policy started in January, women have been considering the risks associated with C-sections more carefully.