Project description:BackgroundThis paper focuses on the period from 2019 to 2021 and investigates the factors associated with the high prevalence of C-section deliveries in South India. We also examine the nuanced patterns, socio-demographic associations, and spatial dynamics underlying C-section choices in this region. A cross-sectional study was conducted using large nationally representative survey data.MethodsNational Family Health Survey data (NFHS) from 2019 to 2021 have been used for the analysis. Bayesian Multilevel and Geospatial Analysis have been used as statistical methods.ResultsOur analysis reveals significant regional disparities in C-section utilization, indicating potential gaps in healthcare access and socio-economic influences. Maternal age at childbirth, educational attainment, healthcare facility type size of child at birth and ever pregnancy termination are identified as key determinants of method of C-section decisions. Wealth index and urban residence also play pivotal roles, reflecting financial considerations and access to healthcare resources. Bayesian multilevel analysis highlights the need for tailored interventions that consider individual household, primary sampling unit (PSU) and district-level factors. Additionally, spatial analysis identifies regions with varying C-section rates, allowing policymakers to develop targeted strategies to optimize maternal and neonatal health outcomes and address healthcare disparities. Spatial autocorrelation and hotspot analysis further elucidate localized influences and clustering patterns.ConclusionIn conclusion, this research underscores the complexity of C-section choices and calls for evidence-based policies and interventions that promote equitable access to quality maternal care in South India. Stakeholders must recognize the multifaceted nature of healthcare decisions and work collaboratively to ensure more balanced and effective healthcare practices in the region.
Project description:As part of an initiative aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality, Senegal implemented a policy of free Cesarean section (C-section) since 2005. Despite the implementation, C-section rates have remained low and significant large disparities in access, particularly in major cities such as Dakar. This paper aims to assess C-section rates and examines socioeconomic inequalities in C-section use in the Dakar region between 2005 and 2019. This study incorporates data from various sources, including the health routine data within District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) platform, government statistics on slum areas, and data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). A geospatial analysis was conducted to identify locations of Comprehensive emergency obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) services using the Direction des Travaux Géographiques et Cartographiques (DTGC) databases and satellite imagery from the Google Earth platform. The analytical approach encompassed univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses. The C-section rate fluctuated over the years, increasing from 11.1% in 2005 to 16.4% in 2011, declined to 9.8% in 2014, and then raised to 13.3% in 2019. The wealth tertile demonstrated a positive correlation with C-sections in urban areas of the Dakar region. Geospatial analyses revealed that women residing in slum areas were less likely to undergo C-section deliveries. These findings underscore the importance of public health policies extending beyond merely providing free C-section delivery services. Strategies that improve equitable access to C-section delivery services for women across all socioeconomic strata are needed, particularly targeting the poor women and those in urban slums.
Project description:BackgroundBreech deliveries are a significant public health concern in developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the cesarean section rate should not be higher than 10%-15%. As unnecessary C-sections may be associated with an increased risk of maternal and neonatal mortality, this meta-analysis was aimed at determining the rate of caesarean sections among breech deliveries in Ethiopia.MethodsAll published and unpublished articles were obtained from legitimate databases and websites. The PRISMA guidelines were used to conduct this systematic review and meta-analysis. The meta-analysis of the primary and secondary outcomes was performed using STATA version 18. The overall effect size with a 95% CI was estimated using the random effect model with the Der Simonian Liard method. A sensitivity analysis using a leave-one-out meta-analysis was computed.ResultsThis meta-analysis included a total of 57,236 mothers who had breech deliveries. The pooled prevalence of breech deliveries among women in Ethiopia was 5% [95% CI: 4, 6]. The overall pooled cesarean section rate among breech deliveries in Ethiopia was 41% (95% CI: 29-54).ConclusionsIn this review, the pooled prevalence of breech deliveries among women in Ethiopia was 5%, and the overall rate of caesarian section among the breech deliveries was 41%. This finding pointed out that two out of every five pregnant women with breech presentation gave birth by cesarean section in Ethiopia. Therefore, the finding implies that both the government and all the concerned stakeholders shall be given particular emphasis made on strengthening antenatal care services and ensure more women have access to skilled healthcare professionals during childbirth. This can help in providing appropriate interventions, support to women and reducing the need for emergency and unnecessary breech deliveries. The result of this research are a baseline data for future researchers to conduct further studies to better understand the reasons behind the high rates and identify potential interventions and solutions specific to the African context.
Project description:BackgroundThe lives of babies and mothers are at risk due to the uneven distribution of healthcare facilities required for emergency cesarean sections (CS). However, CS without medical indications might cause complications for mothers and babies, which is a global health problem. Identifying spatiotemporal variations of CS rates in each geographical area could provide helpful information to understand the status of using CS services.MethodsThis cross-sectional study explored spatiotemporal patterns of CS in northeast Iran from 2016 to 2020. Space-time scan statistics and spatial interaction analysis were conducted using geographical information systems to visualize and explore patterns of CS services.ResultsThe temporal analysis identified 2017 and 2018 as the statistically significant high clustered times in terms of CS rate. Five purely spatial clusters were identified that were distributed heterogeneously in the study region and included 14 counties. The spatiotemporal analysis identified four clusters that included 13 counties as high-rate areas in different periods. According to spatial interaction analysis, there was a solid spatial concentration of hospital facilities in the political center of the study area. Moreover, a high degree of inequity was observed in spatial accessibility to CS hospitals in the study area.ConclusionsCS Spatiotemporal clusters in the study area reveal that CS use in different counties among women of childbearing age is significantly different in terms of location and time. This difference might be studied in future research to identify any overutilization of CS or lack of appropriate CS in clustered counties, as both put women at risk. Hospital capacity and distance from population centers to hospitals might play an essential role in CS rate variations and spatial interactions among people and CS facilities. As a result, some healthcare strategies, e.g., building new hospitals and empowering the existing local hospitals to perform CS in areas out of service, might be developed to decline spatial inequity.
Project description:ObjectiveTo evaluate the existence of statistically significant clusters of Cesarean section rates at the county level and assess the relationship of such clusters with previously implicated socioeconomic factors.ResultsCounty-level obstetrics data was extracted from March of Dimes, originally sourced from National Center for Health Statistics. County-level demographic data were extracted from the US Census Bureau. Access to obstetricians was extracted from National Provider Identifier records. Rural counties were identified using Rural Urban Commuting Area codes developed by the department of agriculture. The dataset was geospatially analyzed using Moran's I statistic, a metric of local spatial autocorrelation, to identify clusters of increased or decreased Cesarean section rates. The American South, especially the Deep South, is a major cluster of increased Cesarean section rates. As a general but not absolute pattern, the American West and Midwest had lower Cesarean section rates than the Northeast. Focal areas of increased Cesarean section rates included the Kansas-Nebraska border, Michigan's upper peninsula, and the New York City metropolitan area. The gross geospatial differences were not explained by rurality, obstetric access, or ethnic and racial factors alone.
Project description:ObjectiveWe compared birth injuries for spontaneous vaginal (VD) and caesarean section (CS) deliveries in preterm and term pregnancies.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted in a single tertiary center, between January 1st, 2007, and December 31st, 2017. The study included 62330 singleton pregnancies delivered after 24 0/7 weeks gestation. Multivariable analyses compared trauma at birth, birth hypoxia and birth asphyxia in term and preterm deliveries, stratified by mode of birth, VD versus CS. Main outcome measure was trauma at birth including intracranial laceration and haemorrhage, injuries to scalp, injuries to central and peripheral nervous system, fractures to skeleton, facial and eye injury.ResultsThe incidence of preterm deliveries was 10.9%. Delivery of preterm babies by CS increased from 37.0% in 2007 to 60.0% in 2017. The overall incidence of all birth trauma was 16.2%. When stratified by mode of delivery, birth trauma was recorded in 23.4% of spontaneous vaginal deliveries and 7.5% of CS deliveries (aOR 3.3, 95%CI 3.1-3.5). When considered all types of birth trauma, incidence of trauma at birth was higher after 28 weeks gestation in VD compared to CS (28-31 weeks, aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3-2.3; 32-36 weeks, aOR 4.2, 95% CI 3.6-4.9; >37 weeks, aOR 3.3, 95% CI 3.1-3.5). There was no difference in the incidence of birth trauma before 28 weeks gestation between VD and CS (aOR 0.8, 95% CI 0.5-1.2). Regarding overall life-threatening birth trauma or injuries at birth with severe consequences such as cerebral and intraventricular haemorrhage, cranial and brachial nerve injury, fractures of long bones and clavicle, eye and facial injury, there was no difference in vaginal preterm deliveries compared to CS deliveries (p > 0.05 for all).ConclusionCS is not protective of injury at birth. When all types of birth trauma are considered, these are more common in spontaneous VD, thus favoring CS as preferred method of delivery to avoid trauma at birth. However, when stratified by severity of birth trauma, preterm babies delivered vaginally are not at higher risk of major birth trauma than those delivered by CS.
Project description:BackgroundInstitutional delivery is an important indicator in monitoring the progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 3.1 to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births. Despite the international focus on reducing maternal mortality, progress has been low, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with more than 295,000 mothers still dying during pregnancy and childbirth every year. Institutional delivery has been varied across and within the country. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the individual and community level determinants, and spatial distribution of institutional delivery in Ethiopia.MethodsA secondary data analysis was done based on the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) data. A total weighted sample of 11,022 women was included in this study. For spatial analysis, ArcGIS version 10.6 statistical software was used to explore the spatial distribution of institutional delivery, and SaTScan version 9.6 software was used to identify significant hotspot areas of institutional delivery. For the determinants, a multilevel binary logistic regression analysis was fitted to take to account the hierarchical nature of EDHS data. The Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC), Median Odds Ratio (MOR), Proportional Change in Variance (PCV), and deviance (-2LL) were used for model comparison and for checking model fitness. Variables with p-values<0.2 in the bi-variable analysis were fitted in the multivariable multilevel model. Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were used to declare significant determinant of institutional delivery.ResultsThe spatial analysis showed that the spatial distribution of institutional delivery was significantly varied across the country [global Moran's I = 0.04 (p<0.05)]. The SaTScan analysis identified significant hotspot areas of poor institutional delivery in Harari, south Oromia and most parts of Somali regions. In the multivariable multilevel analysis; having 2-4 births (AOR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.34-0.68) and >4 births (AOR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.32-0.74), preceding birth interval ≥ 48 months (AOR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.03-2.20), being poorer (AOR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.10-2.30) and richest wealth status (AOR = 2.44; 95% CI: 1.54-3.87), having primary education (AOR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.16-1.87), secondary and higher education (AOR = 3.44; 95% CI: 2.19-5.42), having 1-3 ANC visits (AOR = 3.88; 95% CI: 2.77-5.43) and >4 ANC visits (AOR = 6.53; 95% CI: 4.69-9.10) were significant individual-level determinants of institutional delivery while being living in Addis Ababa city (AOR = 3.13; 95% CI: 1.77-5.55), higher community media exposure (AOR = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.44-2.79) and being living in urban area (AOR = 4.70; 95% CI: 2.70-8.01) were significant community-level determinants of institutional delivery.ConclusionsInstitutional delivery was low in Ethiopia. The spatial distribution of institutional delivery was significantly varied across the country. Residence, region, maternal education, wealth status, ANC visit, preceding birth interval, and community media exposure were found to be significant determinants of institutional delivery. Therefore, public health interventions should be designed in the hotspot areas where institutional delivery was low to reduce maternal and newborn mortality by enhancing maternal education, ANC visit, and community media exposure.
Project description:BackgroundPostpartum anemia is associated with maternal and perinatal morbidity. Population-level data may inform guideline development for postpartum anemia screening. Our objectives were to evaluate the associations between potential predictors (predelivery anemia and postpartum hemorrhage [PPH]) with severe postpartum anemia after Cesarean section.Study design and methodsData were collected from 70,939 hospitalizations for Cesarean section performed at Kaiser Permanente Northern California facilities between 2005 and 2013. Severe postpartum anemia was defined as a hemoglobin (Hb) level of less than 8 g/dL before hospital discharge. Using multivariable logistic regression, we assessed the associations between predelivery anemia and PPH with severe postpartum anemia. Distributions of these characteristics among women with severe postpartum anemia were evaluated.ResultsThe overall rate of severe postpartum anemia was 7.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.1%-7.4%). Severe postpartum anemia was strongly associated with a predelivery Hb level between 10 and 10.9 g/dL (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.4; 95% CI, 4.89-5.91), predelivery Hb level of less than 10 g/dL (aOR, 30.6; 95% CI, 27.21-34.6), and PPH (aOR, 8.45; 95% CI, 7.8-9.16). The proportions of women with severe postpartum anemia were highest for those experiencing PPH but no predelivery anemia (12.2%; 95% CI, 11.0%-13.6%) and those who did not incur PPH nor predelivery anemia (10.7%; 95% CI, 9.6%-12.0%).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that PPH and predelivery anemia are strong independent risk factors for severe postpartum anemia. Optimization of patients' Hb before delivery may reduce the incidence of severe anemia after Cesarean section.
Project description:BackgroundQuality Antenatal Care (ANC) is considered if pregnant women have access to essential services that align with the best evidence-based practice. Although several studies have been conducted on ANC uptake in Ethiopia, they have focused on the timing and number of visits and the level of complete uptake of care contents according to the WHO recommendation remains scarce. Hence, this study aimed to assess the magnitude of missing care content during ANC visits, its spatial variations, and individual- and community-level determinants in Ethiopia.MethodsThe study was conducted using the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey and included a total weighted sample of 4,771 women who gave birth within five years before the survey. Spatial analysis was carried out using Arc-GIS version 10.7 and SaTScan version 9.6 statistical software. Spatial autocorrelation (Moran's I) was checked to determine the non-randomness of the spatial variation in the missing contents of care. Multilevel multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed using STATA version 16. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with its corresponding 95% CI was used as a measure of association.ResultsThe prevalence of missing full contents of ANC in Ethiopia was 88.2% (95% CI: 87.2, 89.0), with significant spatial variations observed across regions. Missing essential contents of care was higher among women who live in rural areas (aOR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.47, 2.71), not completed formal education (aOR = 1.94, 95% CI:1.24, 3.02), late initiation of ANC (aOR = 3.05, 95% CI:1.59, 6.54), attended only one ANC (aOR = 4.13, 95% CI: 1.95, 8.74), and not having a mobile phone (aOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.95).ConclusionThe level of missing care content during prenatal visits was high in Ethiopia, with significant spatial variation across regions. Health systems and policymakers should promote early initiation and encourage multiple visits to provide optimal care to pregnant women. In addition, it is vital to focus on enhancing education and healthcare infrastructure in rural parts of the country.
Project description:BackgroundSimulation-based education enhances fundamental and clinical knowledge, procedural abilities, teamwork, and communication skills, as well as quality of care and patient safety. Due to excessive clinical loads and a lack of physicians, even classic teaching methods like bedside instruction are constrained in low-income settings. Thus, this study aimed to ascertain if simulation-based cesarean section education successfully raises non-physician clinician midwives' competency in Ethiopia.MethodsA quasi-experimental study design triangulated with a qualitative design was implemented. Sixty Masters Clinical Midwifery students (29 intervention and 31 control) were taken in 5 universities. Three questionnaires (knowledge, confidence levels, and skills) were used. Qualitative data was also collected from 14 participants. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted. P < 0.05 was used for statistical significance. A difference-in-difference with a 95% confidence level was employed to control the potential confounders for knowledge and self-confidence. Multiple linear regression was fitted to identify the independent effect of simulation-based education interventions while controlling for other variables. Thematic analysis was performed using MAXQDA 2020.ResultThe age of the respondents varies from 24 to 34 years, with the control group's mean age being 28.8 (± 2.3) years and the intervention group's mean age being 27.2 (± 2.01) years. The intervention and control groups' pre-intervention and post-intervention knowledge scores showed a statistically significant difference. There was a substantial increase in self-confidence mean scores in both the intervention and control groups and between the pre-intervention and post-intervention periods in both the intervention and control groups. Furthermore, there was a substantial improvement in cesarean section skills in the intervention group as compared to the control group (59.6 (3.3) vs. 51.5 (4.8). The qualitative findings supported these.ConclusionsThe study showed that simulation-based education improved students' procedural knowledge, self-confidence, and skills. As a result, professional care teams can create simulation-based teaching packages to help students prepare for their residency.