Complications in cesarean and non-cesarean deliveries: United States, 1980

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) 1983-08, Vol.73 (8), p.856-860
• Main Authors: Taffel, S M, Placek, P J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cesarean Section - adverse effects; Cesarean Section - statistics & numerical data; Data Collection; Delivery, Obstetric - adverse effects; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; National Center for Health Statistics (U.S.); Obstetric Labor Complications - epidemiology; Obstetric Labor Complications - surgery; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - epidemiology; Pregnancy Complications - surgery; United States
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.73.8.856

Using 1980 National Hospital Discharge Survey data, complications reported for cesarean and non-cesarean deliveries coded by the Ninth Revision ICD-CM are compared. While over 16 per cent of all deliveries in 1980 were by C-section, 94 per cent of the deliveries where maternal-infant disproportion was noted were by C-section, and this complication was noted in one-fourth of all C-section deliveries. Similarly, where malposition or malpresentation of the fetus was evident, 59 per cent of the mothers were delivered by C-section, and this complication was noted in one-sixth of all C-section deliveries. C-sections were also associated with placenta praevia, pre-eclampsia, infections of the genito-urinary tract, anemia, multiple births, and were almost universal for mothers who had had a previous C-section delivery. Competing explanations for the rise in C-sections from 5.5 per cent of deliveries in 1970 to 16.5 per cent in 1980 are discussed in the context of these findings.