CAUSES OF CESAREAN SECTION FROM PERSPECTIVES OF OBSTETRICIANS AND MIDWIVES: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the causes of cesarean section from the perspective of midwives and obstetricians.

Methodology: This Qualitative study was carried out using conceptual content analysis method. In this study, participants were selected via purposive sampling method and this process continued until data saturation. Accordingly, 12 midwives and 7 obstetricians were enrolled into the study. A semi-structured individual interview was conducted with each participant. Data analysis was performed by Cheevakumjon method and conceptual content analysis was used to extract the concepts . After reading the text of the data, key sentences and concepts were derived and finally categorized.

Results: Total of three themes, "attitudes of obstetricians and midwives", "social-supportive factors" and "resources" were identified. The identified categories included attitudes of obstetricians and midwives (negative attitudes toward vaginal birth, positive attitudes towards cesarean section), social-supportive factors (hospitals, community, midwives and obstetricians, negative experiences, authorities' support for the medical team and resources), financial factors, (human resource, facilities and equipment, and educational factors).

Conclusion: Normal vaginal delivery conditions can be provided for pregnant women by increasing the access of all pregnant women to free health services, appropriate equipment in the delivery department, availability of midwives and obstetricians and existence of International standards on patient-to-physician ratio.