Caesarean Delivery: Why The Aversion?

Abstract

Objective: To examine the reason for aversion to caesarean section among pregnant Nigerian women receiving antenatal care at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria and Havana Specialist Hospital, Lagos Nigeria. Method: Structured questionnaires were administered to pregnant women receiving antenatal care in both hospitals. The response to questions on their knowledge, attitudes and reason for aversion to caesarean section and experience of patients who have had caesarean section were analyzed. Result: The 6224 patients interviewed know what caesarean section is, however only 33.3% known reasons for performing caesarean section. While only 28.9% will accept caesarean section on doctor's advice, 71.1% will not accept caesarean delivery for any reason. 26.8% of the patients that have had previous caesarean section prefer to die while attempting vaginal delivery than to have a repeat caesarean section. Reasons for refusing caesarean section were essentially that of sense of reproductive failure after caesarean section (81.2%) and financial implication (66.5%). It also shows that education and social class has little or no effect on the aversion to caesarean section in our environment. Conclusion: Meaningful attempt at solving the problem of caesarean aversion must go beyond the confines of hospital wards to the communities since it is deep-rooted in culture.