Abstract

Background: The use of caesarean section (CS) as a mode of delivery has been increasing, eclipsing the World Health Organisation recommendation of 10–15% caesarean deliveries per country. The introduction of Robson’s Ten Group Classification System (TGCS) to standardize the reporting of caesarean deliveries has helped audit and compare CS practices across different countries. Objective: This study aimed to determine the overall rate of caesarean deliveries using Robson TGCS, identify the major contributing groups, assess the maternal and clinical predictors of CS, and propose targeted recommendations for reducing unnecessary CSs in a tertiary hospital in Qassim, Saudi Arabia. Methods: It is a retrospective study in which 835 women who had delivered through a CS at the Maternal and Children’s Hospital (MCH) in Qassim were included. Results: The caesarean deliveries accounted for 46% of the total deliveries conducted within the study period, with Group 5 (multiparous women with at least one previous CS, singleton cephalic, ≥ 37 weeks) being the leading contributor to CS deliveries. The most common indications for CS were previous CS (44.4%), fetal distress (12.8%), and breech presentation (10.5%), whereas maternal obesity (31.6%) and gestational diabetes (5.9%) were the most prevalent comorbidities. Conclusion: There is a high repeat CS rate in MCH, Qassim, which highlights the need for targeted interventions, such as promoting vaginal birth after caesarean and auditing CS decisions in low-risk groups.

Key words: Caesarean section, Multiparity, Retrospective study, Repeat Cesarean Section, labour.