Survey of Cesarean Deliveries and Their Causes in Hospitals Affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran, 2011

There is an obvious difference in cesarean section rate between the world and Iran. Cesarean section rate is included 50-60% of the delivery modes in Iran and 10-20% in the world. This study was done to survey cesarean sections base on their causes and type of hospital that the delivery has been done.

This cross sectional study was conducted on data collected about delivery modes has been done in hospitals affiliated to Mashhad university of medical science, Iran in 2011. Data were collected based on a single form that was notified by obstetric department of deputy of treatment affairs of Mashhad university of medical science to all hospitals. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16 and central measures (mean) and dispersion (standard deviation).

Total deliveries in hospitals affiliated to Mashhad university of medical sciences were 103348 during 2011 that 45% of them were performed in academic centers and 55% in other places. Of total deliveries were performed, 37% of the deliveries in academic hospitals, 72% in private hospitals, 64% in charity hospitals, 44% in social affairs hospitals, 55% in other hospitals and 75% in Azad university hospitals have been done by cesarean section.

Total deliveries and cesarean section in other hospitals were higher than university hospitals. The most important cause of cesarean section was repeated cesarean after first cesarean and number of elective cesarean section was significantly higher in non academic hospitals than university hospitals.