Willingness of pregnant women and clinicians to participate in a hypothetical randomised controlled trial comparing vaginal delivery and elective caesarean section.
BACKGROUND
Elective caesarean section is controversial in the absence of compelling evidence of the relative benefits and harms compared with vaginal delivery. A randomised trial of the two procedures to compare outcomes for women and babies would provide the best quality scientific evidence to confirm this debate but it is not known whether such a trial would be feasible.


OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the proportion of primiparas and clinicians who would participate in a hypothetical randomised controlled trial comparing vaginal delivery with elective caesarean section.


METHODS
Pregnant women (mean 22 weeks gestation) recruited from public and private antenatal clinics at a major tertiary referral centre were interviewed to ascertain their willingness to participate in a hypothetical randomised controlled trial. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to midwives, obstetricians, urogynaecologists and colorectal surgeons, and results between groups were compared.


RESULTS
One hundred pregnant women, 84 midwives, 166 obstetricians, 12 urogynaecologists and 87 colorectal surgeons participated. Only 14% (95% confidence interval (CI), 8-22) of pregnant women and 31% (95% CI, 26-36) of clinicians indicated that they would participate in a randomised controlled trial.


CONCLUSIONS
A randomised controlled trial comparing vaginal delivery and elective caesarean section may not be feasible due to low levels of willingness to participate, particularly among pregnant women.
Turner
Catherine E
CE
Department of Colorectal Surgery, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
Young
Jane M
JM
Solomon
Michael J
MJ
Ludlow
Joanne
J
Benness
Christopher
C
Phipps
Hala
H
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000523:psychology*; D003107:Colorectal Surgery / Q000523:psychology; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000523:psychology; D009774:Obstetrics; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires