OBJECTIVE To evaluate how the implementation of universally acceptable standards affects rates for primary caesarean sections, without compromising maternal or foetal safety. METHODS A complete audit cycle of all the primary caesarean sections performed in the maternity unit of Aga Khan University was conducted from 1st January to 31st March during years 2003 and 2004. New labour management g...

BACKGROUND Several maternity units in the developing world lack facilities for caesarean section and often have to transfer patients in extremis. This case controlled study aimed to appraise predictive factors for caesarean section. METHODS One hundred and fifty two consecutive women with singleton pregnancies who had caesarean section were studied. The next parturient with normal delivery se...

Caesarean delivery can improve maternal and child health, and even save lives. But the past two decades have brought a sharp growth in caesareans in many nations, raising concerns about unnecessarily high rates. Caesarean delivery onmaternal request is relatively rare in the UK (1-2% of births) and US (3% of births). But in some middle income countries the rate is high and growing (20% of birth...

As the other major European countries, Croatia has also seen a marked increase in the rate of caesarean sections. The aim of this study was to determine the most common reasons for caesarean section, to compare emergency and elective caesarean section in regard to intraoperative and postoperative complications in both mother and child, and to assess the decision-to-delivery interval (DDI) in ou...

The incidence of caesarean sections performed on request without medical indications is rising. The reasons for this are not only for perceived medical benefit, but are also due to social, cultural and psychological factors. Despite dramatic improvements in the safety of anaesthesia and surgery, mortality and morbidity are greater for elective caesarean sections compared to vaginal deliveries. ...

AIMS Regional and interinstitutional variations have been recognized in the increasing incidence of caesarean section. Modes of birth after previous caesarean section vary widely, ranging from elective repeat caesarean section (ERCS) and unplanned repeat caesarean section (URCS) after trial of labour to vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC). This study describes interinstitutional variat...

Caesarean section rates have been increasing world-wide raising the question of the appropriateness of the selection of cases for the procedure. This paper examines the levels and correlates of delivery related complications and caesarean section deliveries in eighteen selected states of India in terms of specific maternal and institutional factors, using data from the National Family Health Su...

OBJECTIVES To determine current trends for different modes of delivery in twin pregnancies, factors affecting the mode of delivery, and associated outcomes. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING A public hospital in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS All twin pregnancies booked at Kwong Wah Hospital during a 3-year period from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2009. RESULTS Of 197 sets of twins, 35 (1...

BACKGROUND Second trimester pregnancy induction with misoprostol in women with prior caesarean delivery is not well studied. OBJECTIVE To estimate the risk of uterine rupture using misoprostol as an induction agent for pregnancy termination in the second trimester of pregnancy in women with prior caesarean delivery. SEARCH STRATEGY Cases of women with a history of prior caesarean delivery a...