Monitoring and interventions are needed to reduce the very high Caesarean section rates in Vietnam

Aim: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of Caesarean sections in the third largest city in Vietnam and identify the associated risk factors.

Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in Da Nang from April 2015 to March 2016 and the hospital-based sample comprised 20 535 women who delivered during this period. Caesarean section cases were categorised into private and public hospitals and groups of primiparous and multiparous women.

Results: We recruited 10 of the 12 hospitals in the City and they covered 90% of births during the study period. The overall Caesarean section rate was 58.6%: 57.9% in public hospitals and 70.6% in private hospitals. The three main indications for Caesarean sections were previous Caesarean sections, cephalopelvic disproportion and foetal distress. The factors that increased the likelihood of Caesarean sections were the mother being over 30, having an office job, a history of abortions, having a male infant and a higher neonatal birth weight.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrated an extremely high rate of Caesarean section and associated factors in public and private hospitals in one of the biggest cities in Vietnam. The findings highlight the need for monitoring and interventions to reduce the Caesarean section rates.