Cesarean delivery on maternal request: survey among obstetricians/gynecologists in south-east Hungary

Abstract

Introduction: increased frequency of maternal request for cesarean delivery may be a contributing factor to the rising cesarean section rate in Hungary, although there is no formal indication that would allow Hungarian obstetricians to perform this procedure legally. Thus, it is difficult to estimate the role of maternal request in the rising cesarean rate. Aim: The aim of the authors was to assess the attitudes of obstetricians toward this procedure. Method: In early 2010 anonymous questionnaires were distributed to each of the 137 obstetricians working in the maternity wards of counties Bács-Kiskun, Békés and Csongrád, with a response rate of 74.5% (n = 102). Results: More than half of the respondents refused the possibility of a legalized indication for this procedure in Hungary; however, in case it was legalized, 81 (79.4%) obstetricians would feel ready to perform it. Conclusions: The resistance of more than half of the obstetricians to an explicit indication for the procedure is in conflict with the theoretical willingness of the majority of them to perform it. Orv. Hetil., 2013, 154, 1303–1311.