Socioeconomic differences in caesarean section - are they explained by medical need? An analysis of patient record data of a large Kenyan hospital.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Caesarean section (C-section) rates are often low among the poor and very high among the better-off in low- and middle-income countries. We examined to what extent these differences are explained by medical need in an African context.

Methods

We analyzed electronic records of 12,209 women who gave birth in a teaching hospital in Kenya in 2014. C-section rates were calculated by socioeconomic position (SEP), using maternal occupation (professional, small business, housewife, student) as indicator. We assessed if women had documented clinical indications according to hospital guidelines and if socioeconomic differences in C-section rates were explained by indication.

Results

Indication for C-section according to hospital guidelines was more prevalent among pr

SUBMITTER: van der Spek L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7341621 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature