Rising cesarean section rates, a patient's perspective: experience from a high birth rate country.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: To investigate the effect of social class, education and antenatal care on cesarian section (CS) rate and women's preference for CS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive study performed on 509 women attending postnatal clinics in three primary care units in Ismailia governorate, Egypt. The study performed via a structured questionnaire including questions related to background socio-demographic data, questions related to obstetrical history for the last pregnancy and delivery, and questions related to economic standards.

RESULTS: The study included 266 participants (52.3%) that delivered by CS in their last delivery. CS rate was significantly higher in highly educated women and high economic standard. Only 29 (7.7%) reported that they had preferred CS as a method of delivery. Educational level and economic standards significantly affected the proportion of women preferring CS as a method of delivery (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). In a stepwise logistic regression model, significant factors affecting CS rate were: the method of delivery preferred (p < 0.005) and educational level (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Educational level and economic standards significantly affected women's preference towards CS and CS rate.