A profile of Caesarean sections performed at a district hospital in Tshwane, South Africa

Figures & data

Figure 1: Monthly deliveries in 2015.

Table 1: Maternal characteristics

Maternal characteristic	No.	%
Age (years):
< 18	193	18.1
19–34	617	58.0
> 35	254	23.9
Parity:
Nulliparous	289	27.2
Multiparous	775	72.8
Gestational age (weeks):
< 27	2	0.2
27–33	89	8.4
34–36	170	16.0
37–39	578	54.3
> 39	225	21.2`
Co-morbidities:
HIV/AIDS	71	6.7
HIV/AIDS on ARV	67	6.3
Hypertension	64	6.0
Diabetes mellitus	7	0.7
Anaemia	6	0.6

Table 2: Indications for CS in 2015

	Emergency CS		Elective CS
Indications	No.	%	No.	%
Foetal distress/compromise	427	40.1	0	0
Cephalo-pelvic disproportion (CPD)	101	9.5	0	0
One previous CS + other factors (e.g. fresh scar, big baby, poor progress)	48	4.5	106	9.9
Failed induction of labour	23	2.2	0	0
Multiple gestations	18	1.7	42	3.9
Malpresentation	17	1.6	59	5.5
Maternal chronic conditions:	12	1.1	35	3.3
Hypertension
HIV/AIDS
Diabetes mellitus
Anaemia
Macrosomia	8	0.8	28	2.6
Two or more previous CS	0	0	95	8.9
Post dates	0	0	45	4.2
Total CS (1 064)	654	61.5	410	38.5

Table 3: Surgical procedure

Variable	No.	%
Type:
Emergency	654	61.5
Elective	410	38.5
Mode of anaesthesia:
Spinal anaesthesia	976	91.7
General anaesthesia	88	8.3
Surgeon's level of experience:
Community service doctor (4)	65	6.1
Medical officers (35 including sessional doctors)	840	79.0
Family medicine registrars (15)	159	15.0
Time of surgery:
During working hrs (8:00 am–4:00 pm)	789	74.1
After hrs (4:00 pm–8:00 am), weekends, public holidays	275	25.9

Table 4: Maternal and neonatal complications post CS

Maternal complications	No.	%
Septic wound	1	0.1
Wound dehiscence	2	0.2
Post-partum haemorrhage	4	0.4
Neonatal complications	No.	%
Stillbirth	1	0.1
Neonate transferred to tertiary care (indication not recorded)	1	0.1
Neonate admitted for morbidity	36	3.4