title: Rising cesarean delivery rate in primiparous women in urban China: evidence from three nationwide household health surveys.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the trend in the rate of cesarean delivery in primiparous women and to analyse individual socioeconomic factors driving the escalation of cesarean delivery rates in urban China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from three national household health surveys conducted in 1993, 1998, and 2003. This analysis was based on data from the primiparous women only.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cesarean delivery rate in urban cities of China rose from 18.2% in 1990 to 1992 to 39.5% in 1998 to 2002. The adjusted odds ratio for cesarean delivery associated with living in a large city, having university/colleague education, and having health insurance were respectively 2.39, 4.46, and 1.25 in 1998 to 2002.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cesarean delivery rate in urban cities of China has been rising dramatically since 1990. Many nonmedical causes related to individual social and economic factors might have played an important role in such a rapid rise of cesarean delivery rates.
authors: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors: Shenglan
authors: S
authors: Tang
authors: Xiaoyan
authors: X
authors: Li
authors: Zhuochun
authors: Z
authors: Wu