AN ASSESSMENT OF DETERMINANTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCREASED CESAREAN SECTION RATE AT LADY WILLINGDON HOSPITAL, LAHORE

Abstract

Background: The worldwide increase in C-section rates has become a major concern because it affects the health of mothers and their newborns. The identification of factors which drive cesarean delivery rates and pregnant women's understanding of these factors enables healthcare providers to create effective programs for promoting safe delivery methods.

Materials and Methods: The study at Lady Willingdon Hospital in Lahore evaluated pregnant women's understanding of factors which contribute to higher C-section rates through a descriptive research design. The study used non-experimental research methods to select 140 women of childbearing age through purposeful sampling. The researchers used a self-designed questionnaire to gather data which they processed through mean and standard deviation score analysis.

Results: The research results showed that normal delivery was the preferred choice for 58.6% of women but 41.4% chose cesarean section and one-third of these procedures lacked proper medical reasons. The study revealed that 45.7% of women demonstrated poor knowledge about cesarean delivery factors and their scores averaged 6.4 ± 4.2 (42.6%) which indicated minimal to average comprehension.

Conclusion: The research shows that pregnant women demonstrated poor understanding of factors driving C-section increases yet their knowledge did not impact the actual occurrence of these factors. The research supports the need for enhanced maternal education programs which will help women choose their childbirth options wisely.