Investigating the Role of Effective Variables on Preferences Cesarean Delivery Among Pregnant Women in Iran: Retrospective Insight from a 2015 - 2016 Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Delivery method preference is a critical decision made before labor, as it directly affects the health outcomes of both the mother and the neonate. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the impact of various sociodemographic factors on the preference for cesarean section (CS) as a mode of delivery among pregnant women, particularly in light of the steady and unexplained increase in CS rates globally over the past four decades. Methods: We conducted a census-based, retrospective study of a national population comprising 1,491,883 mothers in Iran between April 2015 and April 2016. Preferences for CS were evaluated against maternal and neonatal factors using univariate and multivariate logistic regression modeling with SPSS statistical software, version 20. Results: Our findings revealed that mothers holding a doctoral degree were 6.54 times more likely to choose CS delivery compared to mothers who were illiterate (P < 0.05). Additionally, each unit increase in maternal age decreased the odds of cesarean delivery by 15.5% (P = 0.01). Living in rural areas reduced the odds of cesarean delivery by 53% (OR = 0.47, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the absence of pregnancy complications and higher gestational age were associated with a statistically significant reduction in the chance of CS. Conclusions: This study identifies maternal education as a key determinant in delivery method preferences among Iranian women. Those with higher academic degrees, particularly mothers holding a doctoral degree, showed significantly greater odds of choosing CS over vaginal birth.