PREVALENCE AND ATTITUDE OF WOMEN REGARDING CESAREAN SECTION IN DUHOK CITY-KURDISTAN REGION

Background: The decision of pregnancy delivery mode is important for both mother and fetus health. Although the advancement in surgical approach of cesarean section, the cesarean section has a negative impact on mothers and fetuses health. Objective: To assess the rate of cesarean section in a sample of women in Duhok city and their attitudes toward cesarean section. Methodology: Present study was a descriptive cross sectional that carried out in Obstetrical & Gynecological Clinics of Maternity Hospital, Primary Health Care Centers, Internally Displaced and Refugee Camps and Private Obstetrics Clinics at Duhok city-Kurdistan region/Iraq through duration period of one year from first of November, 2021, to 31st of October, 2022 on sample of four hundred pregnant women. The decision of previous cesarean section for studied women was done by Senior Obstetrician & Gynecologist according to different reasons (clinical or non-clinical). Results: The history of previous cesarean section was positive in 39.8% of pregnant women, with a common frequency of one cesarean section (58.5%). Most pregnant women perceived that normal delivery is better, while 9% perceived that cesarean section is better. In the same way, 87% of pregnant women preferred normal delivery, while 13% preferred cesarean section. Only 20% of pregnant women believed that cesarean section is the normal way of delivery, while 68% of them thought that mother with a history of cesarean section has a normal delivery in the future. However, 79% of pregnant women believed that mother had a risk of death during cesarean section. Conclusions: The cesarean section rate in Duhok city is higher than acceptable recommended rate, although the positive attitude of pregnant women toward normal vaginal delivery.