title: Indications for cesarean deliveries in Norway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the indications for cesarean deliveries in Norway, related to type of operation, parity, and gestational age.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective survey that used information provided by clinicians at 24 maternity units. Two thousand seven hundred seventy-eight cesarean deliveries were included, which represents 69.7% of all cesarean deliveries in Norway during the study period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cesarean delivery rate varied by maternal and gestational age, parity, and hospital of delivery. Seven indications accounted for 77.7% of the operations: fetal stress (21.9%), failure to progress (20.7%), previous cesarean delivery (8.9%), breech presentation >or=34 weeks of gestation (8.4%), maternal request (7.6%), preeclampsia (6.2%) and failed induction (4.0%). Of the total deliveries, 64.3% were emergency operations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accurate information about indications for cesarean deliveries in Norway has been obtained. Two thirds of all deliveries were emergency operations; the most important indications were fetal stress and failure to progress. In the elective cesarean delivery group, the two most important indications were previous cesarean delivery and maternal request.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lillehammer County Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Toril
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kolås
authors.forename: Dag
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hofoss
authors.forename: Anne K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Daltveit
authors.forename: Stein T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Nilsen
authors.forename: Tore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Henriksen
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Häger
authors.forename: Ingemar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ingemarsson
authors.forename: Pål
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Øian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical; D001719:Birth Certificates; D001946:Breech Presentation; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005183:Failure to Thrive / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D009664:Norway; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000601:surgery