PURPOSE: to determine the cesarean section (CS) rate in Campinas (SP) and to identify its risk factors. METHODS: a cross-sectional study that analyzed data obtained from Live Birth Certificates in 2001. The dependent variable was the type of delivery and the independent variables were: mothers’ characteristics and those related to their pregnancies, deliveries and to newborns. The assessment of the association among variables was performed through the chi2 test, and crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) values were calculated. RESULTS: the CS rate was 54.9%. The chances of having CS increased 1.9 times for women from 20-34 years old (adjOR-1.9; 95% CI:1.7-2.1); 3.7 times for those over 35 years old (adjOR-3.8; 95% CI:3.2-4.5); 1.5 times for those who studied from 8-11 years (adjOR-1.5; 95% CI:1.4-1.6); 2.5 times for those who studied more than 11 years (adjOR-2.6; 95% CI:2.2-2.9); 1.3 times for those who were married (adjOR-1.3; 95 % CI:1.2-1.4); 1.6 times for those who had jobs (adjOR-1.6; 95% CI:1.5-1.8); 1.2 times for who had good living conditions (adjOR-1.2; 95% CI:1.0-1.3); 2.2 times for primiparous (adjOR-2.2; 95% CI:1.9-2.5), 1.6 times for multiparous (adjOR-1.6; 95% CI:1.4-1.9) and 2.7 times in twin gestations (adjOR-2.7; 95% CI:1.9-3.9). The women who had inadequate prenatal care were protected for CS (adjOR-0.6; 95% CI:0.5-0.7). CONCLUSION: the chance of having CS was greater among women with better socio-economic conditions, with adequate prenatal care, for primiparous, for multiparous and in twin gestations, suggesting that the basis for indication of cesarean sections were not restricted to clinical factors but influenced by non-medical reasons.
Cesarean section; Sexual and reproductive health; Socioeconomic factors; Risk factors; Epidemiology
