Prevalence and factors associated with cesarean delivery in Nepal : evidence from a nationally representative sample

Das, Pranta and Samad, Nandeeta and Sapkota, Ashmita and Al-Banna, Hasan and Rahman, Nor Azlina A and Ahmad, Rahnuma and Haque, Mainul and Godman, Brian (2021) Prevalence and factors associated with cesarean delivery in Nepal : evidence from a nationally representative sample. Cureus, 13 (12). e20326. (https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.20326)

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Abstract

Background: Caesarian sections (CS) are life-saving management for a pregnant mother and her baby subject to obstetric complications. The World Health Organization (WHO) expected CS rates not to exceed 10 to 15 per 100 live births in any country. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of CS and its associated factors from the 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), building on previous studies. Methods: The NDHS is a cross-sectional study undertaken every five years analyzing cesarean delivery data of Nepal. Results: The prevalence of CS in Nepal conforms to the WHO standard with 7.8, 7.5, and 8.1 per 100 deliveries, or 9.8, 8.9, and 9.1 per women’s last births in the previous one, three, and five years, respectively. Older mothers of 30 years old or more, having high incomes, being overweight and obese, using the internet, ante-natal care (ANC) visits of more than four times, ANC by doctors, twin delivery, and having babies of 4 kg or more, had higher odds for a CS while having two or more children seemed to be protective towards CS. Conclusion: These findings can be used to refine policies surrounding CS delivery to limit unnecessary CS and ensure better health as CS is not without complications.

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