Temporal and geographical variation in UK obstetricians' personal preference regarding mode of delivery.
OBJECTIVE
To assess UK obstetricians' preferences about mode of delivery for themselves or their partners and determine whether these changed since 1995.


METHODS
All 313 registered obstetricians in London and one in five (279) sample of those outside London were sent a structured anonymous postal questionnaire.


RESULTS
The response rate was 54%. In a hypothetical uncomplicated first singleton pregnancy with a cephalic presentation at term, 15% chose elective caesarean section (CS) (17% in London versus 13% outside London). The overall rate for London has not changed since 1995 (17 versus 17%), although the difference between women and men was less (31 versus 8% in 1995 and 21 versus 14% in 1999, respectively). The number choosing elective CS increased with estimated foetal weight > 4.0kg (40%) and > 4.5kg (65%) and with breech presentation both in a first pregnancy (69%) and after a previous vaginal delivery (49%).


CONCLUSIONS
The overall attitude of London obstetricians to mode of delivery for themselves or their partners has not changed since 1995 and is similar to those of UK obstetricians elsewhere.
Groom
Katie M
KM
Department of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, Du Cane Road, W12 0NN, London, UK. k.groom@ic.ac.uk
Paterson-Brown
Sara
S
Fisk
Nicholas M
NM
D001946:Breech Presentation; D002585:Cesarean Section; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D020567:Fetal Weight; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009774:Obstetrics; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom