Is a Rising Cesarean Delivery Rate Inevitable? Trends in Industrialized Countries, 1987 to 2007

Abstract

Although cesarean delivery rates continue to rise, the rate of increase appears to be slowing down in most industrialized countries.

Trends in cesarean section rates at a large East African referral hospital from 2005-2010

“…The frequency of CS at KCMC does not mirror the rise in CS seen across many other countries [20,21], nor does it reflect the low prevalence of CS in Tanzania and other SSA countries [3,11,22]. It does however compare to the stability in CS rates found in countries like Finland, Norway and the Netherlands [23]. While we know that referral hospital based CS rates do not reflect the country's CS rate, it does raise the question: is the observed CS prevalence and trend appropriate for a referral hospital in Tanzania or sub-Saharan Africa generally?…”

Obstetrical Mode of Delivery and Childhood Behavior and Psychological Development in a British Cohort

“…In the United Kingdom (UK) for example, the rate of birth by CS was 23 % in 2007 (Declercq et al 2010), almost twice the estimated 12.5 % reported in 1990 (Black et al 2005). Increasing rate of birth by CS is even higher elsewhere, such as China and Brazil (Hou et al 2014).…”

Depressive symptoms, pain, and sexual dysfunction over the first year following vaginal or cesarean delivery: A prospective longitudinal study

“…Cesarean delivery is associated with increased risks of infant mortality (Xie et al, 2015) and complications in subsequent pregnancies (ACOG, 2007;Downes et al, 2015). This is of concern, because the cesarean delivery rate is increasing worldwide (Declercq et al, 2011;Niino, 2011). Postpartum depression influences not only maternal health but also infant or child growth (Nasreen et al, 2013;Surkan et al, 2012) and development (Ali et al, 2013;Fihrer et al, 2009) and paternal depression (Pinheiro et al, 2006).…”