title: A prospective observational study of emergency caesarean section rates and the effect of the labour ward experience.
abstract: The National Sentinel Audit found that one in five births in England and Wales was by caesarean section. The reasons for the increase in caesarean section rates are multi-factorial. Anecdotally, it is suggested that obstetric intervention rates and caesarean section rates vary among obstetricians without a difference in fetal and maternal outcomes. The aim of this prospective observational study of 817 deliveries was to assess the effect of experience on the caesarean section rates for different obstetricians. Obstetricians with greater than 3 years of 2nd on-call labour ward experience had a statistically significant lower caesarean rate than less experienced obstetricians 10.25% vs 25.49%, respectively (p < 0.05). Differences in instrument deliveries was also studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Gwent Hospital, Gwent, UK. Dr@anthony36.freeserve.co.uk
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avasarala
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wiener
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards; D008423:Maternal Age; D008485:Medical Audit; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000592:standards*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D006113:United Kingdom