Work

Social and economic change and rising rate of cesarean section deliveries in Ecuador

Year: 2016

Type: dissertation

Abstract: Birth by cesarean section is increasing globally, particularly in countries experiencing rapid social and economic change. While cesarean sections can be imperative for the immediate health of mother and child, elective cesareans have been associated with increased risk of low birthweight, metabolic disease, asthma, diabetes, and obesity in children and health risks in mothers. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recommends a national cesarean section rate of between 5 and 15% and suggests that a rate higher than 15% may be motivated by factors other than medical risk. Ecuador’s rate of cesarean delivery rose from 17.1% in 1994 to 41.2% in 2012. Using data from Ecuador’s 2012 nationally-representative Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (ENSANUT), this project explores how socioeconomic factors and access to prenatal care are associated with the prevalence of cesarean sections in Ecuador and rates of change over the past two decades.

Source: Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

DOI: 10.17615/31xf-2y19

Author: Jahnke, Johanna

Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Language: English

Topic: Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions

Subfield: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funder: Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill