| Keywords [eng] |
Caesarean delivery, elective caesarean, maternal request, patient autonomy, delivery complications, tokophobia, skin-to-skin contact, litigations, patient autonomy |
| Abstract [eng] |
The caesarean section is one of the most frequently performed operations worldwide. Although it is generally considered a safe procedure with low morbidity and mortality rates, a caesarean section rate above 10% does not improve the mortality of mother and child, as stated by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, there has been an alarming increase in the rates of caesarean sections in recent decades. One significant factor that affects caesarean section rates is the increase in elective caesarean sections requested by mothers. The reasons for requesting a caesarean section on maternal request are multifactorial and often include the fear of pain, fear of failure, concern for fetal injury and pelvic floor injuries that can lead to urinary and faecal incontinence, as well as vaginal and rectal prolapse. Other reasons can include prior negative birth experiences, feelings of abandonment by medical staff, increasing maternal age, and decreasing level of religiosity, the increasing presence of patient autonomy in the medical field, financial reimbursement, and legal actions against physicians. |
