A Check List to Reduce Misuse of Primary Cesarean Sections in Women with a Single Fetus in Cephalic Position

Abstract

Background: Avoiding primary C-section is the safest and most effective way of decreasing C-section rates. We analyzed circumstances and decisions made among pregnant women without history of C-section and cephalic single fetus (group B), who ended up having a Cesarean birth, to identify opportunities that may optimize the decisions about delivery. Methodology: We evaluated the clinical histories of pregnant women from group B who completed their pregnancies in the Hospital Universitario de Santander (Bucaramanga, Colombia) during 2013. We evaluated the decision moments from admission until birth, including the registry of the reasons for having a C-section, compliance of all the criteria to support the decision and its appropriateness, and how adequate were the procedures done during the induction or augmentation of labor. Results: We evaluated 1320 histories; 666 (55.7%) ended by C-Section. In 59.8% of the histories, we identified at least one decision that could have been addressed differently to optimize the delivery type and, potentially, avoid ending in a Cesarean birth. The most frequent opportunities arise due to a lack of clarity in the record of the reason for performing the C-section (70.1%), and inadequate use of labor induction in the patients that had to end their gestation (38.5%). Conclusion: In the Hospital Universitario de Santander during 2013, despite observing a meaningful subregistry of the indication to perform a C-section, we found that in one out of every two patients there are opportunities of improvement in the registry and attention to reduce the high incidence of C-sections in the institution. This analysis allowed us to create a checklist to fill out before making the final decision of performing a Cesarean birth.