Percentage of cesarean sections among total surgical procedures in sub-Saharan Africa: possible indicator of the overall adequacy of surgical care.
The aim of this study was to assess emergency and essential surgical care in low-income countries, review of the literature to obtain data on the number of cesarean sections, and compare the results with the total number of all operations. This cesarean section/total operations ratio was much higher for low-income countries than for high-income countries. We recommend more research into the validity of this tool for use as a possible proxy indicator for overall adequacy of emergency and essential surgical care.
Kushner
Adam L
AL
Surgeons OverSeas (SOS), 303 East 60th Street, Suite 28E, New York, NY 10022, USA. adamkushner@yahoo.com
Groen
Reinou S
RS
Kingham
T Peter
TP
D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012807:Sierra Leone