Rising Trends of Cesarean Section Worldwide: A Systematic Review

Background: Cesarean section (CS) is the most common surgery performed around the world.The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests a cesarean rate from 5% to 15%, but the worldwide percentage is higher.Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to analyze if there are some factors associated with the increment of CS rate like public or private hospitals, mothers' age, CS indication, educational level and socioeconomic status.Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, EBSCO and Medscape databases to identify studies published from 2000 to 2015.Findings: A total 22 articles were included from eighteen different countries.All of them showed an overwhelming prevalence of CS, compared with the stipulated by the WHO, with a mean of 45.2% of CS worldwide.The rate of cesarean delivery was higher at the private hospitals than in the public ones. Conclusion:It is necessary to regulate the quantity of CS performed in hospitals, to reduce health costs and maternal and fetal risks.CS prevalence is markedly high around the world, especially in the private sector, that clearly demonstrates that there are other factors involved in this group of users.