Publication:

Prevalence and determinants of cesarean section in a rural tertiary care hospital of Bangladesh

Background Cesarean section (CS) stands as the foremost major surgical procedure in contemporary obstetrics. Initially developed primarily to safeguard maternal life during challenging childbirth scenarios, its prevalence has shown a concerning upward trajectory in recent times. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and determinants of Cesarean section deliveries in a rural tertiary care hospital.

Methods This was a retrospective observational study and was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College & Hospital, Sirajganj, Bangladesh during the period from January 2018 to December 2019.

Results Out of a total of 1600 deliveries, 390 (24.4%) were vaginal deliveries, while 1210 (75.6%) were cesarean sections respectively. Majority 94.8% patients were 20-34 years old, 1.8% were less than or equal to 19 years and 3.4% were great than or equal to 35 years old respectively. The majority of cesarean sections, 814 (67.3%), were performed as elective procedures and 396 (32.7%) were performed as emergency procedures respectively. Majority 512 (42.3%) were performed on women who had a history of previous cesarean deliveries, 34 (2.8%) were performed due to non-progression or prolonged labor, 99 (8.2%) were performed due to malpresentation of the baby and 308 (25.5%) were performed at the request of the mother respectively.

Conclusions In conclusion, this retrospective observational study provides valuable insights into the prevalence and determinants of caesarean sections in a rural tertiary care hospital.