A Quantitative and Qualitative Investigation of Factors Associated with Caesarean
Section Deliveries in Sri Lanka, Assessing National Trends and Views of Local Healthcare
Professionals in Colombo in 2015.
The definition of a caesarean section is an operation to deliver a baby through incisions
made to the mother’s abdominal wall and uterus, either before or after labor has started.
Rising caesarean section rate is a concern, especially in countries like Sri Lanka where
resources and funding are limited. World Health Organization recommend
a CSR of between 10-15%, which reflects the prevalence of maternal complications
advanced levels of obstetric care can effectively address.
Unfortunately, CSR in Sri Lanka have been rising significantly as rates were 8.4% in 1988,
increasing to 13.3% in 1998 and 30.6% in 2007. Moreover, in 2007, 66.6% of all
CS occurred in private hospitals.
The department of Obstetrics and Genecology in a teaching hospital in Colombo,
felt this was a pertinent issue as a similar rise in CSR had been noted in the hospital.
As staff and resources are already stretched, effectively identifying methods to reduce CSR would
enable staff and facilities to be optimally utilized. Compared to normal vaginal delivery,
caesarean section delivery are less economical due to greater costs, higher incidence of
maternal and fetal complications, longer hospital stays, neonatal intensive care unit
admissions and loss of productivity.
Complications associated with CSD compared to NVD include fatality, infection,
hemorrhage, ileus, adhesions, injury to the bladder, laceration to the fetus and several more.
On average, there was an approximate complication rate of 5% with elective CS
and 15% with emergency CS.
Emerg Med Open J. 2023; 9(1): 1-9. doi: 10.17140/EMOJ-9-166
