Can antenatal classes reduce the rate of cesarean section in southern Italy?
BACKGROUND
Among European Countries, Italy has the highest rate of cesarean section (36.8%), and in the Campania region this rate reaches 60.0%.


OBJECTIVE
We conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate whether participation in antenatal classes during pregnancy reduces the rate of cesarean delivery in southern Italy.


METHODS
We selected three local health authorities, with the lowest, the highest, and an intermediate rate of cesarean delivery. The study included 1893 mothers who brought their children for vaccination and were interviewed about their participation in antenatal classes and their obstetric history.


RESULTS
The main causes of cesarean section given in the interview were clinical indications (61.0%), previous cesarean section (31.0%) and woman's request (8.0%). When we excluded emergency cesarean delivery, we found a moderate association between participation in antenatal classes and cesarean section reduction (relative risk=1.27; 95% CI=1.08-1.49; in percentage values from 49.3% to 38.8%). Private hospitals and the two local health authorities with higher baseline rates of cesarean section showed an enhanced reduction of these rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Our paper shows moderate efficacy of antenatal classes, which reduced the occurrence of cesarean section by about 10%. However, the cesarean section rate remained high. As it is possible that different classes have a different level of efficacy, a further study on a standardized model of an antenatal classes is in progress, to assess its efficacy in term of cesarean section reduction, with the purpose of its widespread implementation to the whole region.
Department of Psychology of the Second University of Naples, viale Ellittico 31, 81100 Caserta, Italy.
Daniela
D
Cantone
School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine of the Second University of Naples, via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
Concetta Paola
CP
Pelullo
School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine of the Second University of Naples, via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
Mariagrazia
M
Cancellieri
Department of Experimental Medicine of the Second University of Naples, via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138, Napoli, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.attena@unina2.it.
Francesco
F
Attena
D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Antenatal classes; Cesarean section; Childbirth; Epidemiology; Retrospective cohort study