Abstract:
To determine the factors affecting the preferred mode
of deliver}' in pregnant women within a tertiary care
setting.
METHOD:
A cross sectional study using a pre tested self
administered questionnaire. Al l pregnant mothers of
more than 36 weeks of period of amenorrhea attending
to the antenatal clinics of Castle Street Hospital for
Women and De Zoysa Hospital for Women were
recruited. Women who didn't have a preferred mode
of delivery were excluded.
RESULTS:
The study population consisted of 186 women with
a mean age of 28.6 ±5.32 years. 52.2 % were primi
mothers. Al l participants had regular attendance
for antenatal clinics but only 78.55% participated
for antenatal education classes regularly. Of the 97
primi parous women, 93 (95.9%) preferred to have
a NV D and 4 (4.1%) preferred to have LSCS while
multiparous women 75 (84.3%) preferred to have a
N V D and 14 (15.7%) preferred LSCS. There was
statistically significant preference for LSCS among
the multiparous compared to the primiparous women
(p< 0.05).
Among the multiparous women (n=89) a statistically
significant preference for LSCS was observed in
those who had a previous section (n=22) compared
to the group who had not (p= 0.017). A significant
preference for LSCS was also observed in women
aged more than 35 yrs (p< 0.001), who had previously
experienced instrumental delivery (p< 0.010).
Main reasons for preferring a vaginal delivery
were quick recovery (28.2%), minimal long term
complications (22.54%), and being the natural method
(21.1%).There was no significant association with the
social class (p=0.735), the economic status (p=0.265)
or the educational status of women on preferred mode
of delivery. Attendance to antenatal education classes
did not influence preference on mode of delivery, but
showed a statistically significant influence (p=0.0224)
on the knowledge about deliveries.
CONCLUSIONS:
Multi parity, age over 35 years and previous LSCS
delivery were preferred reasons for caesarean section.
Study showed mothers achieve a rational choice
of NV D over LSCS. The success of the antenatal education classes was reflected by the high level o
knowledge among the mothers who attended them.
