Caesarean Section Change Trends in Iran and Some Demographic Factors Associated with them in the Past Three Decades

Nowadays, the health care system of many communities is encountering a common problem: the growing number of women undergoing the Caesarean section (CS). One of these countries is Iran. This article presents an overall review on the research conducted hitherto in Iran on the reasons for the growth in the number of CS deliveries in the past three decades. We considered demographic factors, including age, birth order, race, place of delivery (private or public hospital), region (urban or rural), and education, to evaluate the results. Unfortunately, the results show a significant rise in the number of CS deliveries performed in Iran. The results reveal a three-time increment in the number of CS deliveries done in the recent years compared to three decades ago. The causes of this growth may be the increase in the marriage age, late age childbirth, increase in the number of employed women, better access to health services, and advances in technology, all of which seem to have created a vicious circle contributing to the inordinate rise in the prevalence of CS. The results of this research demonstrate a surge in the number of CS deliveries in Iran. The results necessitate that further studies be undertaken with a broader range of samples (for example, a nationwide research) to identify the demographic factors associated with the escalation in the number of CS deliveries and to provide appropriate solutions.