Prevalence and Causes of Cesarean Sections in Primiparous Women in Zahedan in a One-Year Period

Cesarean section plays an important role in reducing mortality and complications for the mother and fetus, in high-risk childbirths. But the problem with modern midwifery is the high prevalence of cesarean sections. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and causes of cesarean sections in primiparous women.

In the present descriptive cross-sectional study, all pregnant women referring to Ali-Ibn-Abitaleb Hospital in Zahedan, Iran, for cesarean section during a year from April 2018 to March 2019 were enrolled. The data including the participants’ demographic information and reasons for the cesarean sections were extracted from the patients' files and recorded in a pre-designed form. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software, V. 21.

Out of 174 cases, 44.2% of them ended to cesarean section because of maternal causes, among which 27.5% had delivery arrest, 2.5% preeclampsia, 4.6% chorioamnionitis, 3.5% Placental abruption and HELLP syndrome, and CPD was 4.3%. The fetal causes with a prevalence of 55.8% included fetal distress with 19%, placental abruption with 12%, multiple births with 11%, placental and umbilical prolapse with 9.2%, and macrosomia with 4.6%, respectively.

Lack of progression in labor and then fetal distress were, respectively, the most important causes of cesarean delivery in primiparity women. The other maternal reasons comprised the third leading cause of cesarean sections in these women