Objective: To determine the maternal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations in a Chinese population and investigate its associations with subsequent delivery mode by studying 1924 unrelated pregnant women. Methods: The serum 25(OH)D concentrations was measured by euzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Simultaneously, maternal information and subsequent delivery mode were collecte...

OBJECTIVES To investigate why some women prefer caesarean sections and how decisions to medicalise birthing are influenced by patients, doctors, and the sociomedical environment. DESIGN Population based birth cohort study, using ethnographic and epidemiological methods. SETTING Epidemiological study: women living in the urban area of Pelotas, Brazil who gave birth in hospital during the stu...

BACKGROUND Rates of caesarean section have steadily increased in most middle- and high-income countries over the last few decades without medical justification. Maternal request is one of the frequently cited non-medical factors contributing to this trend. The objectives of this study were to assess pregnant women's preferences regarding mode of delivery and to compare actual caesarean section ...

OBJECTIVE The frequency of caesarean section delivery varies between countries and social groups. Among other factors, it is determined by the quality of obstetrics care. Rates of elective (planned) and emergency (in-labor) caesareans may also vary between immigrants (first generation), their offspring (second- and third-generation women), and non-immigrants because of access and language barri...

Aim: To compare neonatal serum bilirubin and certain haematological factors in Normal, induced and Caesarean section. Materials and Methods: 90 neonates were divided into three groups according to the mode of delivery (normal, oxytocin induced vaginal delivery & caesarean) and neonatal serum bilirubin levels were estimated and compared with each group. Result: Out of the 90 subjects, it was fou...

OBJECTIVE To identify factors driving the rapid increase in caesarean section in China between 1988 and 2008. METHODS Data from four national cross-sectional surveys (1993, 1998, 2003 and 2008) and modified Poisson regression were used to determine whether changes in household income, access to health insurance or women's education accounted for the rise in caesarean sections in urban and rur...

OBJECTIVES To assess the association between elective caesarean section and postnatal depression compared with planned vaginal delivery and whether emergency caesarean section or assisted vaginal delivery is associated with postnatal depression compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery. DESIGN Prospective population based cohort study. SETTING ALSPAC (the Avon longitudinal study of parents...

Recently, we presented the cliff-edge model to explain the evolutionary persistence of relatively high incidences of fetopelvic disproportion (FPD) in human childbirth. According to this model, the regular application of Caesarean sections since the mid-20th century has triggered an evolutionary increase of fetal size relative to the dimensions of the maternal birth canal, which, in turn, has i...

INTRODUCTION The WHO has identified an ideal caesarean section rate for a nation of 10-15%, but much higher rates are seen in tertiary referral centres in resource-poor countries. Interventions by the author to improve care and reduced unnecessary caesareans were undertaken including staff education and production of clinical guidelines. This study aimed to identify indications for caesareans a...

Objective: To assess maternal satisfaction following two anaesthetic techniques (general and epidural anaesthesia) for repeat Caesarean section. Design: Prospective study. Setting: University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Subjects: One hundred and twenty parturients scheduled for elective Caesarean