Profile of pregnant women undergoing cesarean section on request at a university hospital in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To identify the incidence of cesarean sections on maternal request performed at a university hospital, the profile of these pregnant women, and the factors associated with their choice.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study based on the answers to a virtual questionnaire filled by 106 patients who underwent a cesarean section on maternal request between May 2020 and May 2021. The RStudio software (4.2.1) was used for the statistical analysis, calculating the mean and standard deviation for variables with a normal distribution and absolute numbers, as well as percentages for categorical variables.

Results: The incidence of cesarean sections on request was 24.2% of all cesarean deliveries. 80.2% of these procedures were conducted on white women, with an average age of 30.6 years, 65% multiparous – that is, they have had two or more pregnancies -, 54.7% are married or in a civil union, 50% have completed high school, 81.1% are Christians, and 53.7% have a family income greater than two minimum wages. In addition, 77% of the participants were instructed about cesarean delivery, and 71% were instructed on vaginal delivery during prenatal care. Regarding the choice of delivery method, 46.2% of the women said they were afraid of vaginal delivery and 71.4% were aware of the law regarding cesarean sections on request in force in the state of Paraná, Brazil.

Conclusion: In this study, the predominant patients’ profile was white, married and multiparous women, with an average age of 30 years. The fear of pain and vaginal delivery, along with negative experiences from people close to them, are associated with the maternal decision regarding the mode of delivery, highlighting the importance of prenatal care, multidisciplinary assessment, and the strengthening of public policies aimed at maternity and postpartum assistance.