STUDY O N FACTORS AEFFECTING PREFERRED MOD E OF DELIVERY OF PREGNANTMOTHERS IN ATERTIARY CARE SETTING.

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.