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Related Experiment Videos

Cesarean delivery on demand: what will it cost?

Brent W Bost1

  • 1Department of Economics and Finance, Lamar University, Beauville, Texas 77702, USA.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
|June 26, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Elective cesarean delivery has minimal economic impact on obstetric care costs. Attempted vaginal delivery is cheaper, but complications and interventions like epidural anesthesia can increase costs, sometimes exceeding cesarean delivery expenses.

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Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Health Economics

Background:

  • Cesarean delivery rates have increased globally.
  • Understanding the economic implications of delivery methods is crucial for healthcare policy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the costs of elective cesarean delivery versus attempted vaginal delivery.
  • To evaluate the economic impact of a policy favoring cesarean delivery on demand.

Main Methods:

  • Cost data were collected over 12 months from a community hospital.
  • Per-patient costs for different clinical delivery scenarios were calculated.

Main Results:

  • Attempted vaginal delivery without interventions was 15.1% (nulliparous) and 20% (multiparous) cheaper than elective cesarean delivery.
  • With oxytocin and epidural anesthesia, vaginal delivery costs exceeded cesarean delivery costs by nearly 10% in nulliparous women.
  • Failed vaginal delivery attempts were significantly more expensive than elective cesarean delivery.

Conclusions:

  • A policy of cesarean delivery on demand is unlikely to substantially alter overall obstetric care costs.
  • Interventions during attempted vaginal delivery can negate cost savings compared to elective cesarean delivery.

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