Open AccessMotives for - and prevalence of - cesarean delivery on maternal request: A survey in Saudi Arabia
Author(s) -
Anwar Ahmed,
Rouzait S. Mohammad
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
qatar medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.171
H-Index - 9
eISSN - 2227-0426
pISSN - 0253-8253
DOI - 10.5339/qmj.2019.2
Subject(s) - medicine , odds ratio , confidence interval , obstetrics , pregnancy , han nationality , vaginal delivery , odds , gynecology , logistic regression , biochemistry , chemistry , genetics , gene , genotype , biology
Background: Although cesarean delivery on maternal request (CDMR) has been associated with an increase in the frequency of cesarean sections (CSs), there is a lack of studies reporting the frequency of CDMR in Saudi Arabia. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of and the motives for CDMR and identify its associated factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and June 2017 on 364 pregnant women who planned a CS at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh. The characteristics of the women and their motives for undergoing a CS for the current pregnancy term were collected. Results: The prevalence of CDMR was found to be 13.7% (50/364) [95% confidence interval (CI): 10.370%–17.706%]. Older maternal age ( ≥ 40 years) [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.9; p = 0.019], family history of CS (aOR = 2.9; p = 0.038), non-Saudi nationality (aOR = 5.0; p = 0.050), and receiving education or medical information about the possibility of delivering by CS (aOR = 13.7; p = 0.030) were significantly associated with a higher prevalence of CDMR. As the number of previous CSs increased by one (aOR = 0.6; p = 0.011), the odds of CDMR decreased by 40%. The most common motives for demanding a CS in the absence of medical indications were avoiding labor or possible complications from vaginal birth (60%) and fear of pain on vaginal delivery (46%). Conclusions: A high prevalence of CDMR was documented at King Abdulaziz Medical City, especially among women of older maternal age, having a family history of CS, of non-Saudi nationality, and who received education or medical information about the possibility of delivering by CS. Counseling programs might be helpful for pregnant women who fear pain in vaginal delivery or have had a previous traumatic birth experience.