Fertility after cesarean delivery among Somali-born women resident in the USA

Abstract

We evaluated the reproductive impact of cesarean versus vaginal delivery in Somali immigrants. Data were extracted for 106 Somali women delivering vaginally (64%) or by cesarean section (36%) between 1994 and 2006. Index delivery (vaginal versus cesarean) was compared to the cumulative incidence rate of subsequent deliveries. The incidence rate of a delivery after a vaginal delivery was 3.3% (CI:0-7.8%), 55.4% (CI:40.1-66.8%) and 74.4% (CI:59.0-84.0%) at 1, 2 and 3 years. Cesarean delivery lead to a second delivery incidence rate of 2.9%(95%CI:0-8.2%), 25.9%(95%CI:9.8-39.2%) and 58.1% (95%CI:27.0-72.2%) at 1, 2 and 3 years. Somali women delivering vaginally were 1.56 times (95% CI:0.94-2.57; P = 0.084) more likely to have a subsequent delivery. The likelihood of Somali women having a second child after cesarean section is lower at 2 and 3 year follow-up.