title: Incidence and correlates of cesarean section in a capital city of a middle-income country.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and correlates of cesarean deliveries (CS) in Beirut.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study conducted on 18,837 consecutive infants born at nine hospitals from the National Collaborative Perinatal Neonatal Network (NCPNN). Stepwise Logistic Regression was performed to determine CS correlates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of CS was 26.4% and correlated with socio-demographic, obstetrical and provider-related variables. Regression analysis identified age, paternal occupation, mode of payment, parity, birth weight, gestational age, multiple pregnancies, adequate prenatal care, complications during pregnancy, body mass index at delivery, hospital teaching status, day of the week and year of delivery to be significant correlates of CS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows an increased CS rate in a middle-income country, and identifies the correlates of women delivering by the abdominal route. These correlates may be used for effective reduction policies in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, York University, Canada.
authors.forename: Hala
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tamim
authors.forename: Souheil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El-Chemaly
authors.forename: Anwar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nassar
authors.forename: Ghina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mumtaz
authors.forename: Afamia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaddour
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kabakian-Khasholian
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fakhoury
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yunis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017604:Cesarean Section, Repeat / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007861:Lebanon; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D014505:Urban Population