Caesarean delivery and its association with educational attainment, wealth index, and place of residence in Sub-Saharan Africa: a meta-analysis

Impact of 'decision-to-delivery' interval on maternal and perinatal outcomes: a retrospective study of emergency caesarean section from 2017 to 2021 at a secondary health facility in Nigeria

BACKGROUND

The decision-to-delivery interval (DDI) for a caesarean section is among the factors that reflect the quality of care a pregnant woman receives and the impact on maternal and foetal outcomes and should not exceed 30 min especially for Category 1 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. Herein, we evaluated the effect of decision-to-delivery interval on the maternal and perinatal outcomes among emergency caesarean deliveries at a secondary health facility in north-central Nigeria.

METHODS

We conducted a four-year retrospective descriptive analysis of all emergency caesarean sections at a secondary health facility in north-central Nigeria. We included pregnant mothers who had emergency caesarean delivery at the study site from February 10, 2017, to February 9, 2021.

RESULTS

Out of 582 who underwent an emergency caesarean section, 550 (94.5%) had a delayed decision-to-delivery interval. The factors associated with delayed decision-to-delivery interval included educational levels (both parents), maternal occupation, and booking status. The delayed decision-to-delivery interval was associated with an increase in perinatal deaths with an odds ratio (OR) of 6.9 (95% CI, 3.166 to 15.040), and increased odds of Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) admissions (OR 9.8, 95% CI 2.417 to 39.333). Among the maternal outcomes, delayed decision-to-delivery interval was associated with increased odds of sepsis (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.960 to 8.933), hypotension (OR 3.8, 95% 1.626 TO 9.035), and cardiac arrest (OR 19.5, 95% CI 4.634 to 82.059).

CONCLUSION

This study shows a very low optimum DDI, which was associated with educational levels, maternal occupation, and booking status. The delayed DDI increased the odds of perinatal deaths, SCBU admission, and maternal-related complications.

Spatial and Socioeconomic Inequalities in Cesarean Section Deliveries in Urban Settings in Dakar, Senegal

As part of an initiative aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality, Senegal implemented a policy of free Cesarean section (C-section) since 2005. Despite the implementation, C-section rates have remained low and significant large disparities in access, particularly in major cities such as Dakar. This paper aims to assess C-section rates and examines socioeconomic inequalities in C-section use in the Dakar region between 2005 and 2019. This study incorporates data from various sources, including the health routine data within District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) platform, government statistics on slum areas, and data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). A geospatial analysis was conducted to identify locations of Comprehensive emergency obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) services using the Direction des Travaux Géographiques et Cartographiques (DTGC) databases and satellite imagery from the Google Earth platform. The analytical approach encompassed univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses. The C-section rate fluctuated over the years, increasing from 11.1% in 2005 to 16.4% in 2011, declined to 9.8% in 2014, and then raised to 13.3% in 2019. The wealth tertile demonstrated a positive correlation with C-sections in urban areas of the Dakar region. Geospatial analyses revealed that women residing in slum areas were less likely to undergo C-section deliveries. These findings underscore the importance of public health policies extending beyond merely providing free C-section delivery services. Strategies that improve equitable access to C-section delivery services for women across all socioeconomic strata are needed, particularly targeting the poor women and those in urban slums.

A Higher Maternal Education Level Could Be a Critical Factor in the Exceeded Cesarean Section Delivery in Indonesia

Background

Cesarean section (CS) could be life-saving with medically indicated, but without it, both women and children could be at risk. The maximum rate for CS is 15%, but it tends to exceed globally.

Objective

We aimed to analyze the education level's role in the delivery of CS in Indonesia.

Methods

We used the 2017 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey data. The study sampled 15,357 women who delivered in five last years. Besides delivery mode and education level, the study also used nine control variables: residence, age, marital, employment, parity, wealth, insurance, antenatal care, and birth type. The study employed a binary logistics regression.

Results

The results show women with secondary education (16.5% CS) are 2.174 times (AOR 2.174; 95% CI 1.095-4.316), and higher education (33% CS) are 3.241 (AOR 3.241; 95% CI 1.624-6.469) times more likely to deliver by CS than no-school education (4.4% CS). There was no significant difference between primary (9.1%) and no-education women. Apart from education, primiparous women, age 34-34 yr, attending antenatal care ≥4 times, non-poorest, having insurance, living in the city, and being unemployed also related to higher risk of CS.

Conclusion

Exceeded CS in Indonesia occurs mostly in higher education women. Higher education women were more likely to access more information and technology, therefore health promotion on healthy normal birth on social media or m-Health (mobile device-based health promotion) and involving health authorities at every level were suitable to reduce the overuse of the CS.

Epidemiology of emergency and elective caesarean section and its association with early neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan African countries

INTRODUCTION

Investigating elective and emergency caesarean section (CS) separately is important for a better understanding of birth delivery modes in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region and identifying bottlenecks that prevent favourable childbirth outcomes in SSA. This study aimed at evaluating the prevalences of both CS types, determining their associated socioeconomic factors and their association with early neonatal mortality in SSA.

METHODS

SSA countries Demographic and Health Surveys data that had collected information on the CS' timing were included in our study. A total of 21 countries were included in this study, with a total of 155 172 institutional live births. Prevalences of both CS types were estimated at the countries' level using household sampling weights. Multilevel models were fitted to identify associated socioeconomic factors of both CS types and their associations with early neonatal mortality.

RESULTS

The emergency CS prevalence in SSA countries was estimated at 4.6% (95% CI 4.4-4.7) and was higher than the elective CS prevalence estimated at 3.4% (95% CI 3.3-3.6). Private health facilities' elective CS prevalence was estimated at 10.2% (95% CI 9.3-11.2) which was higher than the emergency CS prevalence estimated at 7.7% (95% CI 7.0-8.5). Conversely, in public health facilities, the emergency CS prevalence was estimated at 4.0% (95% CI 3.8-4.2) was higher than the elective CS prevalence estimated at 2.7% (95% CI 2.6-2.8). The richest women were more likely to have birth delivery by both CS types than normal vaginal delivery. Emergency CS was positively associated with early neonatal mortality (adjusted OR=2.37, 95% CI 1.64-3.41), while no association was found with elective CS.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest shortcomings in pregnancy monitoring, delivery preparation and postnatal care. Beyond antenatal care (ANC) coverage, more attention should be put on quality of ANC, postnatal care, emergency obstetric and newborn care for favourable birth delivery outcomes in SSA.

Preferred mode of delivery and its associated factors in pregnant women with a previous cesarean scar at a tertiary care hospital in Ethiopia: institutional-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Vaginal births after cesarean or elective repeat cesarean sections (CS) are the options for delivery after one cesarean scar. However, there is a lack of data regarding the preferred next mode of delivery in Ethiopia after a previous cesarean section. Thus, this study assessed the preferred mode of delivery and determinants after one previous CS in the antenatal clinic at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (UoGCSH).

METHODS

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant mothers with one previous CS at UoGCSH from March to August 2022. Structured questionnaires were used to collect the data. The collected data were entered, cleaned, and edited using Epi-data 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. A binary logistic regression was performed to assess the determinants of the preferred mode of delivery. A p-value of < 0.05 at the 95% confidence level (CI) was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The majority, 71.5% (95% CI: 64.7, 77.1), of participants preferred the trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) as their mode of delivery. Mothers who were married (AOR = 4.47, 95% CI: 1.19-16.85), had a diploma educational level (AOR = 3.77, 95% CI: 1.84-12.36), had previous post-cesarean complications (AOR = 3.25, 95% CI: 1.08-9.74), and knew about the success of the trial of labor after cesarean (AOR = 13.56, 95% CI: 4.52-37.19) were found to prefer the trial of labor compared with their counterparts.

CONCLUSION

This study concluded that most pregnant mothers preferred labor trials after one CS, which is a bit lower but comparable with recommended practice guidelines. Providing adequate information and counseling mothers to make informed decisions about their preferred mode of delivery could be substantial.

Factors Contributing to Rapidly Increasing Rates of Caesarean Section in Andhra Pradesh, India: A Case-Control Study

Introduction In some obstetric situations, a caesarean section (CS) can be a crucial, life-saving treatment for both the mother and the infant. Nonetheless, unnecessary CS can raise the risk of morbidity for both. The present study was conducted to study the factors associated with CS delivery and to study the patterns of utilization of health facilities by pregnant women in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. Materials and methods A community-based case-control study was done in Mangalagiri mandal, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India in 2022. A total of 268 mothers (134 CS and 134 normal vaginal childbirth) who delivered between 2019 to 2022 with at least one biological child less than three years of age were studied. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Robson's 10-Group Classification was used to differentiate the type of deliveries of the participants. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered to be significant. Results The mean age of the 268 women studied was 25.49±3.73 years. We found that 47 of the 82 (57.3%) women who went to government healthcare facilities and 87 of the 181 (48.1%) women who went to private healthcare facilities had a CS. Of the total CS studied, approximately 83.5% were emergency CSs. All four mothers who had twins had undergone CS. All women with oblique or transverse fetal lie underwent CS irrespective of parity. On multivariate analysis, participants' education status less than or equal to 10th standard was positively associated with CS and identification of complications in the third trimester by healthcare provider was significantly protective for CS. Conclusion CS rate reduction necessitates a multi-faceted strategy that includes a variety of programming initiatives. Audits of CS performed as part of health programs and other creative monitoring techniques can be useful tools for assessing the standard of maternity care, particularly emergency CS.

Development of a Framework for On-Demand Caesarean Section in Romania

BACKGROUND

Caesarean section rates have continued to trend upward in most countries, including Romania, creating a number of economic challenges. In the public health system, there is no regulation for performing Caesarean sections on demand; it is often done unlawfully, and in private hospitals, it is a real business. Thus, this study aims to investigate the budgetary impact at a hospital level and the profit per procedure by introducing on-demand caesarean sections for a fee.

METHODS

This study was conducted in one of the largest maternity units in Western Romania-the "Bega" Maternity Clinic of the Timisoara County Emergency Hospital. For the analysis, the difference between a proposed occupancy rate (between 50 and 85%, increasing every 5 percent) and the actual occupancy rate was calculated. Considering that this difference can be used to admit patients to receive Caesarean sections on demand for a fee, the profit that could be obtained during the study period was calculated.

RESULTS

It is reported that between 238 (proposed occupancy rate of 50%) and 4683 patients (a proposed occupancy rate of 85%) could have benefited from on-demand caesarean section surgery in 2017-2019. Between RON 419,999 and RON 8,551,636 could be obtained in the 3 years of study by implementing caesarean section against payment.

CONCLUSION

The implementation of a system of on-demand payment for caesarean sections in Romania would bring significant profits to the hospital budget.

Prevalence of Cesarean Section Among Nurses: Predictors and Effect on Exclusive Breastfeeding

Introduction

The prevalence of cesarean sections (CSs) in both industrialized and developing nations is a significant issue for public health officials, particularly in light of the knowledge of their socioeconomic underlying determinants.

Objective

To ascertain the prevalence of CS delivery among nurses, their predictors, and the effect it has on exclusive breastfeeding practice in Tamale, Ghana.

Methods

This study used a quantitative technique and an analytical cross-sectional design. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, and variable associations and predictions were identified using chi-square and logistics regression analysis.

Results

There were 326 fully completed and returned questionnaires; the majority (40.0%) of respondents were registered general nurses (RGN). The majority of respondents (56.0%) were between the ages of 31 and 40. The prevalence rate of CS delivery was 21.1%. Predictor variables were; Community health nurses/RGN (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-11.0), and second degree/first degree level of educational attainment (AOR = 36.0, 95% CI = 2.4-528.9). The effects of CS delivery on exclusive breastfeeding were; low confidence to exclusively breastfeed, opting to combine both breastfeeding and artificial feeding, and less likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding.

Conclusion

Even though CSs and exclusive breastfeeding practices are both problems facing nurses, CSs seem to compound the problem of exclusive breastfeeding among nurses.

Exploring the Influencing Factors for Contraceptive Use among Women: A Meta-Analysis of Demographic and Health Survey Data from 18 Developing Countries

Background. The primary objective of this research was to investigate how socioeconomic and demographic factors influence the usage of contraceptives by women in 18 developing countries. Methods. The study used the latest DHS data from 18 developing countries in order to acquire a broad perspective of contraceptive methods. We applied meta-analysis techniques for 18 developing countries to find out the summary results. Results. The overall summary effect showed that the variable respondent education ( $\text{OR}=1.39$ ; 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.65), husband education ( $\text{OR}=1.60$ ; 95% CI: 1.32 to 1.93), type of place of residence ( $\text{OR}=0.88$ ; 95% CI 0.78 to 0.98), current working status ( $\text{OR}=1.47$ ; 95% CI 1.30 to 1.66), age of the respondent ( $\text{OR}=3.41$ ; 95% CI 2.35 to 4.93), breastfeeding status ( $\text{OR}=1.34$ ; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.62), and desire for more children ( $\text{OR}=0.53$ ; 95% CI 0.43 to 0.65) were the significant factors for contraceptive utilization in developing countries. Conclusions. According to the findings of this descriptive study, the respondent’s age, level of education, and work status were shown to be the most significant factors that influence the usage of contraceptives in developing countries. It is necessary to take reasonable steps in order to increase the rate of utilizing methods of contraception among women of reproductive age who are uneducated, living in rural areas, and unemployed.