Epidemiology of Cesarean Delivery in Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: There is a global increase in the rate of cesarean deliveries, with the higher morbidity and mortality. Few published data on cesarean delivery exist in Qassim, Kingdom Saudi Arabia (KSA).

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence, type, indications, maternal and perinatal outcomes of cesarean delivery.

METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted during three months (August-October 2016) at Maternity and Children's Hospital (MCH), Buraidah, Qassim, KSA. The medical files of parturient women during the period were revised and the data extracted through questionnaires.

RESULTS: There were 936 deliveries during the study period. The mean (SD) of their age, parity and gestational age were 28.6 (6.3) years, 3.0 (2.1) and 38.8 (1.6) weeks, respectively. Out of these 936 deliveries, 396 (42.3%), 21 (2.2%), 114 (12.2%), 405 (43.3%) were vaginal, instrumental, elective and emergency cesarean deliveries, respectively. The indications of the cesarean delivery were; repeated cesarean deliveries (201, 21.5%), failure to progress (87, 9.3%), fetal distress (72, 7.7%); breach (60, 6.4%), antepartum hemorrhage (54, 5.8%), hypertension (36, 3.8%) and diabetes mellitus (9, 1.0%) and more than one indication (6; 0.6%). In binary regression, while age, parity, birth weight and newborn gender were not associated with cesarean delivery, education ≤ secondary level (OR = 2.40, 95% CI = 1.59-3.61, P < 0.001), obesity (OR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.51-3.48, P < 0.001 and morbid obesity (OR = 3.48, 95% CI = 2.16-5.60, P < 0.001) were associated with cesarean delivery. Nine (2.2%) vs three (0.6%), P = 0.03 women in the group of the cesarean and vaginal delivery respectively developed endometritis. Apgar score at one minute was significantly lower in newborn delivered by cesarean. There were three stillbirths (all of them were delivered by emergency cesarean), P = 0.120. Fifty-four of the newborn was admitted to the nursery; 39 (7.5%) vs.15 (3.6%) were delivery by cesareans vs vaginal delivery; P = 0.010.

CONCLUSION: There is a high incidence of cesarean delivery in this hospital; most of them were due to repeated cesarean delivery. Obese women were at higher risk of cesarean delivery.