Jordanian obstetricians' personal preference regarding mode of delivery

Abstract

The personal preference of Jordanian obstetricians regarding mode of delivery in uncomplicated pregnancy with singleton cephalic presentation at term was surveyed by an anonymous structured questionnaire distributed at five conferences/scientific meetings on obstetrics and gynecology held in Jordan in 2007. The response rate was 70% (n=315), and 22 (7%) of the respondents chose elective cesarean section (CS). Respondents 45 years seemed to be more in favor of elective CS than those 55 years (14.1% vs. 3.7%). In multivariate analysis, increased age was inversely associated with the odds of choosing elective CS (OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88-0.99, p=0.024) after adjusting for gender, sector, and duration of practice. The main reasons for preferring abdominal delivery were the fear of long-term sequel (stress incontinence and anal sphincter damage) and the wish to preserve sexual function (86.4 and 50.0%, respectively). The majority of Jordanian obstetricians and gynecologists preferred vaginal delivery in uncomplicated pregnancy for themselves or their wives.