Preference for cesarean section in young nulligravid women in eight OECD countries and implications for reproductive health education ...

• Main Authors: Stoll, Kathrin H, Hauck, Yvonne L, Downe, Soo, Payne, Deborah, Hall, Wendy A
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: BioMed Central 2017
• Subjects: Canada; New Zealand; Iceland
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0355552; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0355552

Background: Efforts to reduce unnecessary Cesarean sections (CS) in high and middle income countries have focused on changing hospital cultures and policies, care provider attitudes and behaviors, and increasing women’s knowledge about the benefits of vaginal birth. These strategies have been largely ineffective. Despite evidence that women have well-developed preferences for mode of delivery prior to conceiving their first child, few studies and no interventions have targeted the next generation of maternity care consumers. The objectives of the study were to identify how many women prefer Cesarean section in a hypothetical healthy pregnancy, why they prefer CS and whether women report knowledge gaps about pregnancy and childbirth that can inform educational interventions. Methods: Data was collected via an online survey at colleges and universities in 8 OECD countries (Australia, Canada, Chile, England, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand, United States) in 2014/2015. Childless young men and women between 18 and ...