What do popular Spanish women's magazines say about caesarean section? A 21‐year survey

Abstract

ObjectivesCaesarean section (CS) rates are increasing worldwide and maternal request is cited as one of the main reasons for this trend. Women's preferences for route of delivery are influenced by popular media, including magazines. We assessed the information on CS presented in Spanish women's magazines.DesignSystematic review.SettingWomen's magazines printed from 1989 to 2009 with the largest national distribution.SampleArticles with any information on CS.MethodsArticles were selected, read and abstracted in duplicate. Sources of information, scientific accuracy, comprehensiveness and women's testimonials were objectively extracted using a content analysis form designed for this study.Main outcome measuresAccuracy, comprehensiveness and sources of information.ResultsMost (67%) of the 1223 selected articles presented exclusively personal opinion/birth stories, 12% reported the potential benefits of CS, 26% mentioned the short-term and 10% mentioned the long-term maternal risks, and 6% highlighted the perinatal risks of CS. The most frequent short-term risks were the increased time for maternal recovery (n = 86), frustration/feelings of failure (n = 83) and increased post-surgical pain (n = 71). The most frequently cited long-term risks were uterine rupture (n = 57) and the need for another CS in any subsequent pregnancy (n = 42). Less than 5% of the selected articles reported that CS could increase the risks of infection (n = 53), haemorrhage (n = 31) or placenta praevia/accreta in future pregnancies (n = 6). The sources of information were not reported by 68% of the articles.ConclusionsThe portrayal of CS in Spanish women's magazines is not sufficiently comprehensive and does not provide adequate important information to help the readership to understand the real benefits and risks of this route of delivery.

Googling caesarean section: a survey on the quality of the information available on the Internet

“…42,43 These results suggest the need for the improved reporting of information about route of delivery in popular media. It is often justified that the lack of space in printed media is a reason for the incomplete information presented in magazines.…”

“…Avoidance of pain and shorter time to delivery were among the most frequently reported advantages of caesarean section on the web, as in previous studies about information on caesarean section in magazines. 42,43 The veracity of online health information is a key issue because consumers are not trained or knowledgeable enough to critically appraise the quality of the information that they receive. The practice of unconditionally accepting online health information can be harmful because a large proportion of patients do not discuss the knowledge acquired from websites with doctors, as they feel confident about the credibility of the information obtained from this source.…”

“…The list of items included in this form (Table S1) was based on previous studies that assessed the completeness of information on caesarean section presented in popular Brazilian and Spanish women's magazines. 42,43 The checklists of the individual investigators were compared and discrepancies were discussed until consensus was reached; if needed, a third investigator was called to arbitrate. …”

Association between rates of caesarean section and maternal and neonatal mortality in the 21st century: a worldwide population‐based ecological study with longitudinal data

“…The reasons for such dramatic increases are multifactorial, including medical as well as non‐medical reasons 3, 6, 7. It has been suggested that non‐medical factors, such as social, cultural, or unequal accessibility to health services, as well as clinical practice patterns/styles, might have been major contributors to the wide variation in caesarean section rates across different countries 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. On the other hand, we can presume that the rates of medically necessary caesarean section associated with the lowest maternal and neonatal mortality should vary less among countries, if the same indications for caesarean section had been applied across all nations 4, 11.…”

The Effect of Nursing Care Based on Comfort Theory on Women's Postpartum Comfort Levels After Caesarean Sections

“…C‐sections lead to higher maternal death rates, more extensive medical intervention, and longer hospital stay and recovery times. Other adverse effects of C‐sections include not being able to move easily for a while, higher risk of complications, delay in mother–baby interaction and lactation, starting oral nutrition after a longer period, and undergoing a surgical operation (Ejder Apay & Pasinlioğlu, ; Torloni, Campos Mansilla, Merialdi, & Betran, ). This is why it is very important to improve comfort levels with effective health care for the mother and the baby after a C‐section.…”