Rising trends in Caesarean section in 6 Egyptian governorates

Background: Caesarean section (CS) is a life-saving operation when vaginal delivery is risky to the mother or baby. However, if not medically indicated or performed under suboptimal conditions, it can be harmful and resource-intensive. Aims: To estimate the prevalence of CS in 6 Egyptian governorates and identify possible risk factors (including demographic, social and healthcare services factors) stratified according to geographical areas. Methods: We used secondary data collected from a large survey to investigate the sociodemographic and health indicators of 6 purposefully selected Egyptian governorates with suboptimal health indicators: 3 from Upper Egypt (Sohag, Assiut and Menia) and 3 from Lower Egypt (Sharkia, Beheira and Ismailia). The survey data were gathered using an interview questionnaire that targeted household members. Results: The CS rate was estimated at 55.1% for the 3 years preceding the study, and the highest rate was 67.8% in Behira and the lowest was 49.0% in Assiut. In most governorates, the CS rate was higher in rural than in urban areas, but the difference was not significant. High CS rates were significantly related to higher social class and lower number of children (≤ 3). Conclusion: In the governorates investigated, CS was performed more often, with higher rates than those reported in the 2015 Egypt Health Issue Survey. The adoption of protocols for elective CS should be enforced with a more multisectoral effort. Pregnant women should be well informed of the risks associated with CS and its medical indications.