title: The University of British Columbia.
abstract: This study is one of a series of recent publications that attempt to sort out the impact of mode of birth on maternal and newborn outcome. The focus on elective cesarean section compared to planned vaginal birth beginning in spontaneous labor is an improved methodology over the earlier comparisons that failed to be able to separate planned from unplanned cesarean section or vaginal birth. The retrospective case control methodology based on birth record data that is employed in this research is similar to others, though with more respectable numbers. Most suffer from the problem of ascertainment difficulties, failure to stratify by parity, and of course, the unavailability of randomization, which some consider the ideal methodology.
authors.affiliation: Emeritus in the Departments of Family Practice and Pediatrics, Clinical Scholars Program, Department of Family Practice University of British Columbia, BC Child and Family Research Institute, Centre Developmental Neurosciences & Child Health, Children's and Women's Health Centre of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: cesarean section; elective cesarean section; maternal and newborn morbidity; maternal choice; mode of delivery