The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #60427

Eugene R Declercq, PhD¹, Carol Sakala, PhD, MSPH², and Maureen Corry, MPH². (1) Maternal and Child Health Department, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St., Boston, MA 02118, 617-638-7795, declercq@bu.edu, (2) New England Regional Office, Maternity Center Association, 32 Cottage Street, Natick, MA 01760-5840

Examining Attitudes Toward and Outcomes of Cesarean Births: the Listening to Mothers Survey This paper will examine mother’s experiences with and attitudes toward Cesarean childbearing based on an analysis of data from a national survey. Listening to Mothers is a national U.S. survey of women’s childbearing experiences. One hundred thirty-six mothers were interviewed by telephone, and 1,447 completed an online version of the survey. All 1,583 survey participants had given birth to a single baby within 24 months of the survey. The interviews, averaging 30 minutes in length, were conducted between 5/15/02 – 6/16/02. Almost one fourth (24%) of mothers in the survey had a cesarean delivery. Of women with a previous cesarean, about three-fourths (74%) had a repeat cesarean. By a margin of more than five to one (83% to 16%) mothers thought it unlikely that they would choose a cesarean for non-medical reasons for a future birth. The most commonly cited postpartum difficulty was experienced by mothers who had a cesarean, with pain at the site of the incision cited by 83% of them as a problem in the first two months after birth and 7% citing it as a problem at least 6 months after birth. More than one-fifth (21%) of mothers indicated a problem with an infection at the site of the cesarean. Compared to women who gave birth vaginally, those with cesareans were less likely to “room-in” with their babies and be breastfeeding at one week, and more likely to experience several health concerns after the birth, including abdominal pain, bladder and bowel difficulties, headaches, and backaches.

Learning Objectives:

Those who participate in this session will be able to:
• Describe the nature of interventions in a contemporary birth in the U.S.
• Distinguish between the outcomes of vaginal and cesarean births in the U.S.
• Describe the characteristics of mothers who are likely to favor a future elective cesarean birth.

Keywords: Birth Outcomes, Maternal Morbidity

Related Web page: www.maternitywise.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.