Rates and trends in cesarean sections between 2008 and 2012 in Iraq

BACKGROUND The prevalence of cesarean sections is increasing globally; however, it can lead to significant increases in maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine the rates and trends of cesarean sections in Iraq. METHODS The cesarean section rates of all births and public and private hospital-based births were calculated from the data on births provided by the annual reports of the Iraqi Ministry of Health for the years 2008 and 2012. The comparable rates for the Center/South and Kurdistan Region and the individual governorates were determined. The cesarean section rates for all births in 2008 were computed and compared with the 2012 rates. RESULTS The cesarean section rate for all births in Iraq was 24.4% in 2012, which was similar to the rates in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (25.4%) and the Center/South of Iraq (24.3%). The cesarean section rates were specifically high in the governorates containing a larger number of private hospitals, and there was a significant positive relationship between the number of private hospitals and the cesarean section rate (beta = 0.671; r = 0.671; P < 0.002). The hospital-based cesarean section rate was 34.7%. The cesarean section rate in private hospitals (77.9%) was remarkably higher than the rate in public hospitals (29.3%). The overall rate of cesarean sections in Iraq increased from 18.0% in 2008 to 24.4% in 2012. CONCLUSIONS The cesarean section rate in Iraq is far above the recommended rate. Iraq witnessed a rapid upward trend in the cesarean section rate from 2008 to 2012, with most of this trend attributable to the Kurdistan Region. There is a potential relationship between the expansion of the private health sector and the increasing cesarean section rate, and further studies of this relationship are necessary. Future research should consider an audit of the indications for a cesarean section rather than measuring the cesarean section rate alone.