Obstetricians say yes to maternal request for elective caesarean section: a survey of current opinion.
OBJECTIVE
To determine what proportion of obstetricians would agree to elective pre-labour CS for 'maternal request'.


METHODS
Every fifth consultant on an alphabetical list of obstetricians in England and Wales obtained from the RCOG (243) was surveyed by post and asked (a) "Would you agree to perform an elective CS on a woman with an uncomplicated singleton cephalic pregnancy at term for 'maternal request?"' and (b) if yes, in relation to this 'Has your practice changed over recent years?"


RESULTS
155 questionnaires were returned (63% response rate -- four unanswered, leaving 151 for analysis). One hundred and four (69%) consultants said they would agree to 'maternal request' for CS. Of the 'yes' respondents, 62 (60%) claimed their practice had changed recently.


CONCLUSIONS
This survey demonstrates that a majority of obstetricians are now prepared to agree to maternal request for CS in the absence of obstetric indications.
Cotzias
C S
CS
Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Imperial College School of Medicine, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, Goldhawk Road, London W6 0XG, UK.
Paterson-Brown
S
S
Fisk
N M
NM
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014852:Wales