Cesarean Delivery Rates in Saudi Arabia: A Ten-Year Review

C esarean delivery (CD) is one of the most comm m monly performed surgical procedures in Saudi Arabia.As reported by the Ministry Of Health (MOH) in 2006, there were a total of 784 145 surgim m cal procedures in all government and private hospitals, of which 86 197 were CDs (11%). 1 Indications for CD range from wellmdefined medical indications to lessmdefined indications.In 1985, the World Health Organization suggested that CD should not exceed 15% of the total deliveries. 2 Globally, there is an alarmm m ing increase in the CD rate.In developed countries the rate went from about 2.5% to 6% in the 1970s to about 12% to 22% in the late 1990s.3 In 2004, the rate in the United States reached 29.1%. 4 Data on CD rates in dem m veloping countries are not as easily available.A recent estimate of the overall rates in developing countries is 12% based on nationally representative data from 82 countries.5 Annual increases in the rates of CD has been reported for some developing countries, ranging from 5% to 11%. 6 The increase in CD rate is of concern not only bem m Cesarean delivery rates in Saudi Arabia: A tenyear review