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Comparative Study
. 2009 May-Jun;29(3):179-83.
doi: 10.4103/0256-4947.51773.

Cesarean delivery rates in Saudi Arabia: a ten-year review

Hassan S Ba'aqeel  1
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Cesarean delivery rates in Saudi Arabia: a ten-year review

Hassan S Ba'aqeel. Ann Saudi Med. 2009 May-Jun.

Abstract

Background and objectives: In view of the global increase in the rate of cesarean deliveries (CD), with the associated higher morbidity and mortality, this study was undertaken to review CD rates and some of their determinants over a ten-year period in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: Maternity data for Ministry of Health (MOH) hospitals across 14 administrative regions and other governmental hospitals in nine clusters were collected and the corresponding rates calculated using MOH yearly statistical books from 1997 to 2006. No private hospital data are reported.

Results: The overall CD rate significantly increased by 80.2% from 10.6% in 1997 to 19.1% in 2006. The greatest increase of 265% was in the Northern region and the least of 32.8% was in the Royal Commission Hospitals. Both vaginal breech and operative vaginal deliveries showed a significant decrease of 38% and 29%, respectively. There was a significant negative correlation between the increasing CD rate and the decreasing vaginal breech and operative vaginal deliveries rates. The volume of annual deliveries did not influence the CD rate.

Conclusions: A significant increase of more than 80% in the CD rate was observed from 1997 to 2006. A national strategy to reduce the CD rate is needed and will require upgrading of the existing vital registration system. We also recommend that current national data capturing mechanisms be expanded to include private sector data and to include indications for CD.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Trend of overall cesarean delivery rate (1997-2006).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cesarean delivery rate for each of the 23 reporting units (1997-2006).
Figure 3
Figure 3
A box and whisker plot for cesarean delivery rates by high, intermediate and low annual deliveries units, for the year 2006. The central “box” represents the distance between the first and third quartiles with the median CD rate between them marked with a horizontal line. The lower end of the line below the central box “a whisker” represents the minimum CD rate, while the upper end of the other line above the box “another hisker” represents the maximum CD rate. Outlying values are shown as dots above or below the whiskers. There were no outliers for intermediate and high delivery volumes. There is an obvious overlap of the boxes and whiskers.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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