Cesarean section rates in Italy by hospital payment mode: an analysis based on birth certificates.

The study, based on birth certificate data from 1985 through 1987, investigated cesarean section (CS) rates in the Lazio region of Italy and their relationship with mode of hospital care payment. Use of abdominal delivery increased from 22.3% in 1985 to 24.3% in 1987. CS rates were highest (34.7%) in private hospitals. A marked variation in the use of CS was associated with mode of hospital care payment independently from other predictors of abdominal delivery.